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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Coronavirus
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
It's in the papers now but what do they actually mean by this? Assumption that no other is worse than Delta?
The evolution pathway is increased virulence but less death.
As a virus….
If you kill the host too quickly you become extinct before you can spread.
If you don’t spread quickly then the other virus that spreads more quickly (and doesn’t kill the host) wins.
It’s a bit like humans and global warming.
they're quarantining .... at home.
when some eyeball *smile* exploding ebola type thing does emerge out of some jungle,
we'll all be dead in a week.
you'll be able to smell it from outer space
It might seem counter intuitive, but selective pressures reduce variation. Always.
Vaccination is a selective pressure which acts on the virus. It will reduce the amount of variation that exists.
It's important to understand that selective pressures (in this case the vaccine) don't cause or prevent mutations. Mutations are random events that, in the absence of a mutagen (a vaccine is not a mutagen) occur at a relatively consistent background rate. Vaccines will reduce the overall number of viral particles globally, and will reduce some variants (which exist as a result of mutations) at a higher proportion than others. This means that the vaccination program will not cause or reduce mutations, but will reduce overall numbers, and thus increase the proportion of certain variants.
It is also true that an overall lower amount of viral replication (courtesy of vaccination) will reduce the opportunity for mutations to occur (as they almost always occur during replication), reducing the probability of a random mutation arising that may be beneficial.
Thanks coburg - this makes sense.
My one question - If you look at it over a longer time period - say a decade - such that everyone gets Covid haven’t you had the same amount of replications albeit spread out over a longer time frame? So all vaccination does is prolong the time for mutations to occur? (Accepting that the probability remains unchanged)
Assuming that you would still get the same number of replications, yes. But this is unlikely given that those who are vaccinated and those who are reinfected will fight off the virus more quickly and therefore the virus will replicate fewer times.
I think it's also worth remembering that the point of vaccination isn't to reduce the incidence of mutations happening or variations arising.
In my opinion, it's missing the point to say that more people vaccinated is a good thing for reducing the likelihood of variants developing.
We want variants developing, because we want this thing to attenuate.
What we don't want is to select for variants which escape the protection offered by the current vaccines.
This is still unlikely to happen given that the vaccines prime the immune system to target a highly conserved and functionally critical part of the virus.
However, if a mutation (or several) were to arise which caused the virus to escape the protection offered by vaccines, it would be a massive selective advantage, and it would be vaccine protection which would drive that selection.
So a kid in my sons year level tests positive and the whole year level is sent home and not allowed back unless they show a negative test result. A self test from the chemist won't do. Been sitting in the car now with him waiting for a test for over 2 hours. Complete overkill. With 95% Vax rate they should scrap this or put in place quicker ways to test. All I'm seeing is people covered head to toe in PPE with a clip board taking notes. No wonder people don't get tested. Funking joke.
Only in Australia,
can you tear the arse out of your jeans going over the fence,
at the Centre for National Resilience
Quarantine escapees in NT: The trio allegedly jumped the fence at the centre for national resilience just before 4.40am, Northern Territory police said earlier.
can you tear the arse out of your jeans going over the fence,
at the Centre for National Resilience
Quarantine escapees in NT: The trio allegedly jumped the fence at the centre for national resilience just before 4.40am, Northern Territory police said earlier.
How bad is this? Bloke doing he damndest to keep his state safe & some anti-vax nutbag threatens to kill his son. 
www.abc.net.au
'I've been told my kid will be put in a grave': Emotional NT Chief Minister reveals anti-vaxxer death threats
During a COVID-19 press conference in Darwin, Chief Minister Michael Gunner is visibly shaken while revealing his son has been the subject of a specific death threat. The NT Police Commissioner says the threats are under investigation.
www.abc.net.au
Darwin Award nominee
www.seattletimes.com
Marcus Lamb, head of Daystar, a Christian network that discouraged vaccines, dies after getting COVID-19
Marcus Lamb, founder of the large Christian network Daystar, died Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus. Lamb's network during the pandemic has made the virus a huge focus, calling it a satanic attack that should not be treated with vaccines.
www.seattletimes.com
and anotherDarwin Award nominee
Marcus Lamb, head of Daystar, a Christian network that discouraged vaccines, dies after getting COVID-19
Marcus Lamb, founder of the large Christian network Daystar, died Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus. Lamb's network during the pandemic has made the virus a huge focus, calling it a satanic attack that should not be treated with vaccines.
The life and tragic death of John Eyers – a fitness fanatic who refused the vaccine
He did triathlons, bodybuilding and mountain climbing and became sceptical of the Covid jab. Then, at 42, he contracted the virus
His twin sister said
He made a bad decision. We all make bad decisions all the time. And he paid the ultimate price for it. Which is so unfair.
without dancing on anyones grave, I'd dispute the 'so unfair' notion
father of 8 getting killed coming to the aid of woman in domestic dispute? UNFAIR
anti-vaxer dies of Covid? NOT UNFAIR
The Fixated Persons Unit will be right over once they've finished failing to intimidate youtube comedians out of being mean to corrupt politicians.How bad is this? Bloke doing he damndest to keep his state safe & some anti-vax nutbag threatens to kill his son.
'I've been told my kid will be put in a grave': Emotional NT Chief Minister reveals anti-vaxxer death threats
During a COVID-19 press conference in Darwin, Chief Minister Michael Gunner is visibly shaken while revealing his son has been the subject of a specific death threat. The NT Police Commissioner says the threats are under investigation.
Anti-vaccine Christian broadcaster Marcus Lamb dies after Covid battle
Lamb's Daystar Television Network had asked viewers in recent days to pray for his recovery.
www.nbcnews.com
Why global COVID-19 vaccine rates could pose a major problem in the fight against Omicron
The new variant is a warning: unless we take urgent action to correct global vaccine inequities, we risk the emergence of further variants, some of which may evade vaccines.
www.abc.net.au
The Rapid Antigen Tests are nowhere near as accurate as a PCR tests
PCR tests require analysis in a Pathology lab
There are many testing sites around Melbourne with waits far less then 2 hours
The people in the testing clinic have a right to stay safe in PPE
The whole requirement to get tested if you've been near an exposure site is overkill. We're nearly at 100% double vaxxed and forcing people to wait 3 hours to get tested is ridiculous. If you're double vaxxed and are still scared don't leave your house.
Where did you wait 3 hours?
Last person i know who got tested in Melb waited about 5 minutes.
There was an article recently stating most of the current "clusters" are in schools. That is why the rules around school infections remain stringent.
