Coronavirus - worldwide breaking news, discussion, stats, updates and more

[Raheem]

Welcome to Europe, Omicron.

And now to the UK.

Covid live: UK to bring in new measures after Omicron variant detected; Israel bans oversea visitors – as it happened

Masks to be mandatory in shops and on public transport in Britain; Israel closes border initially for 14 days

www.theguardian.com

 

[Sunray]

Does anyone who knows about vaccines know how easy / fast it might be to tweak the current vaccines to extend their protection to include this new variant? Or is that not possible and creating a vaccine against it will take just as long as the current vaccines took to develop?

This is going to be the way of the future isn’t it? An ever increasing pool of variants which diverge further from original covid and proliferate most successfully if they evade the vaccines? How long until we need three different vaccine shots each six months?

BioNTech says it could tweak Covid vaccine in 100 days if needed

Company says it will know in two weeks whether current Pfizer jab is effective against Omicron variant

www.theguardian.com

 

[elbows]

Surreal scenes.

Czech president swears in Petr Fiala as PM behind glass screen

Milos Zeman performs inauguration ceremony from cubicle after testing positive for coronavirus

www.theguardian.com

 

[T & P]

Wow… I’m all for encouraging vaccinations and restricting travel, access to venues and whatnot to those who refuse, but forcing people to get jabbed is a bold move.

Covid Omicron: Time to consider mandatory jabs, EU chief says

EU countries should discuss forced vaccinations to combat the Omicron variant, says Ursula von der Leyen.

www.bbc.co.uk

It’s never going to happen imo… if there are already riots by idiots objecting to the possibility of having to wear masks again or facing earlier bar closing times, imagine the shitstorm if they’re forced to get jabbed.

 

[StoneRoad]

Wow… I’m all for encouraging vaccinations and restricting travel, access to venues and whatnot to those who refuse, but forcing people to get jabbed is a bold move.

Covid Omicron: Time to consider mandatory jabs, EU chief says

EU countries should discuss forced vaccinations to combat the Omicron variant, says Ursula von der Leyen.

www.bbc.co.uk

It’s never going to happen imo… if there are already riots by idiots objecting to the possibility of having to wear masks again or facing earlier bar closing times, imagine the shitstorm if they’re forced to get jabbed.

Might be a tactic to increase take-up ...

Similar to the tory sh1tecunt5 "leaking" some potential policy changes - seeing how much opposition the ideas attract, and then doing something slightly less bad ...

 

[cupid_stunt]

This is a good country by country round-up of what's happening across Europe ATM.

COVID in Europe: Netherlands to reopen shops and hairdressers

Here's a round-up of the COVID situation across Europe.

www.euronews.com

 

[2hats]

Further indication of spillover, this time to white-tailed deer in Canada.

First case of SARS-CoV-2 detected in Canadian wildlife - Canada.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Public Health Agency of Canada, Parks Canada, provincial and territorial governments, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC), and academic partners have been proactively engaged in research to...

www.canada.ca

 

[_Russ_]

I wish the media would stop quoting Dr Angelique Coetzee, its like she is the only GP in South Africa

 

[elbows]

A mild strain of the media is too much to hope for.

 

[marshall]

How does Germany plan on enforcing this?

 

[The39thStep]

Portugal not messing around with the new requirements for a negative test to enter Portugal. Sanctions against passengers and airlines .

This morning, close to 20 people were fined at Portuguese airports for disembarking without a negative Covid-19 test. Two passengers came from outside the European Union and have to return to their countries of origin.
All will have to pay fines, which can reach 800 euros.

The airlines will be notified and have a period of five days to make a deposit of 20 thousand euros.

 

[The39thStep]

I went for a flu jab today ( takes an hour as they are doing covid booster at the same time) and the staff were really strict with the few who whilst waiting pulled their masks under their noses. One polite encouragement, if needed a second firmer tone and strike three get security or the civil protection to explain either comply or out you go and you have to rebook.

 

[elbows]

Our hospitals have 300 ICU beds. In total. For the entire country.
125 are filled with covid patients. That number is rising.

Ireland doesn't have test capacity to cope.
And the virus is now everywhere.

People are dying because of covid here. Dying because the beds are gone to covid patients.

The stats above are not helpful in describing what is actually happening on the ground

I see they have been forced to act:

Covid-19: Ireland closes nightclubs and tightens Covid rules

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces a number of new restrictions in a televised address.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Aladdin]

I see they have been forced to act:

Covid-19: Ireland closes nightclubs and tightens Covid rules

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces a number of new restrictions in a televised address.

www.bbc.co.uk

Yep. Took their time.
Media playing games. All last week it was wall to wall "what are the government going to do...why are they not acting on blah blah ".

Now the media is all "oh the poor vintners ... and oh dear think of the children having to wear masks...how awful".

 

[2hats]

Hippos now.

Hippos test positive for COVID at Belgian zoo – DW – 12/03/2021

The two hippos at Antwerp Zoo tested positive for the coronavirus after a vet noticed their noses were "expelling snot." The huge animals, who are mother and daughter, are not in great peril.

www.dw.com

 

[weltweit]

Hippos now.

Hippos test positive for COVID at Belgian zoo – DW – 12/03/2021

The two hippos at Antwerp Zoo tested positive for the coronavirus after a vet noticed their noses were "expelling snot." The huge animals, who are mother and daughter, are not in great peril.

www.dw.com

Blimey, which of "hands face space" had they disobeyed ?

 

[Chilli.s]

Blimey, which of "hands face space" had they disobeyed ?

Their keeper is so fond of them though

 

[two sheds]

and they're rubbish at wearing masks

 

[weltweit]

I just heard on the World Service that India has now vaccinated more than a billion people and that some locations (counties perhaps) have completely immunised their populations. I am looking for a link, can't find one yet but yay go India!

 

[cupid_stunt]

I just heard on the World Service that India has now vaccinated more than a billion people and that some locations (counties perhaps) have completely immunised their populations. I am looking for a link, can't find one yet but yay go India!

Well they did ban exports of vaccines earlier this year, intended for many poorer countries, because they got hit hard by delta, but at least now they have started to export some again, so hopefully those left behind countries will finally start getting their share.

 

[weltweit]

Well they did ban exports of vaccines earlier this year, intended for many poorer countries, because they got hit hard by delta, but at least now they have started to export some again, so hopefully those left behind countries will finally start getting their share.

I didn't know about their export ban.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I didn't know about their export ban.

They are the largest vaccine producer in the world, and IIRC theSerum Institute is the largest manufacturer, of course, they were licenced to produce the AZ vaccine at cost to most of Africa, as well as other poorer countries, hundreds of millions doses were diverted to the domestic market, can't blame them TBH, delta hit them so hard.

India will resume Covid vaccine exports from October, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has announced.
The world's largest vaccine producer had halted exports in April to cater to domestic demand as infections shot up.
The announcement comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Washington on Tuesday for a summit of the Quad leaders - US, India, Japan and Australia.
Officials say vaccines exports are likely to be discussed at the meeting.
Mr Mandaviya said India's vaccine manufacturers "are expected to produce more than 300 million doses" in October for the country's own vaccination drive and that any surplus supplies would be sent to other countries in the global fight against Covid-19.
"We will help the world, and through Covax we will also fulfil our responsibility," he told reporters on Monday.

Covid vaccine: India to resume vaccine exports from October

The world's largest vaccine maker halted exports in April to meet domestic demand as cases rose.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MickiQ]

and they're rubbish at wearing masks

What I want to know is who got the job of sticking a cotton bud down their noses

 

[elbows]

They are the largest vaccine producer in the world, and IIRC theSerum Institute is the largest manufacturer, of course, they were licenced to produce the AZ vaccine at cost to most of Africa, as well as other poorer countries, hundreds of millions doses were diverted to the domestic market, can't blame them TBH, delta hit them so hard.

Covid vaccine: India to resume vaccine exports from October

The world's largest vaccine maker halted exports in April to meet domestic demand as cases rose.

www.bbc.co.uk

As well as the UK having the cheek to source millions of AZ doses from them, a plan that was partially stalled by their export ban.

 

[cupid_stunt]

As well as the UK having the cheek to source millions of AZ doses from them, a plan that was partially stalled by their export ban.

That was part of the arrangement with the Serum Institute, and a tiny fraction that were going to be produced by them, and sold at cost, thanks to the UK government.

Not sure any other government has insisted vaccines developed in their countries are sold at cost.

 

[2hats]

Why am I getting this strong feeling of déjà vu?

COVID outbreak on cruise ship in New Orleans may be due to omicron

Some disembarked passengers said they were never told about the outbreak.

arstechnica.com

 

[two sheds]

Why would it be more transmissive - higher number of the virus carried as you breathe out?

 

[Supine]

Why would it be more transmissive - higher number of the virus carried as you breathe out?

Could be that, could be more airborne, or could be better at latching on when it finds a new host. Or a combination of all three. Or maybe because it’s just a bit of a cunt.

 

[two sheds]

a few bankrupt Republicans you'd think. Can they in fact go bankrupt? I don't think they can for student debt repayments.

 

[ice-is-forming]

It's 680 days since Queensland closed the borders, and now at 80% of people vaccinated we are opening them again on Monday.

There are still rules about quarantining, having vaccs and testing if you enter the state. And on Dec 17th a whole lot of restrictions about where you can and can't go, where you can and can't work. Still check ins, still restrictions on numbers etc. And I expect this will get worse before things get better.

It makes me happy that 80% of people are vaccinated, because it feels like I work with the 20% who aren't and it's a real struggle not to knock peoples heads together.