Mpox - news and discussion

[WhyLikeThis]

We all know that. Anyway, your spoiling the thread so no more engagement from me.

Demonstrably you did not. You just waded in with lazy insults.

 

[2hats]

Yes, a nuclear weapon.

Radiological. Not nuclear. No dirty bomb. Purely radiochemical poisoning.

 

[Pickman's model]

As I’ve repeatably stated in this thread the likelihood of the use of biological weapons is low.

However, the impact of this threat being realised is high. This results in a medium level of risk put very simply. Though not simply enough for some.

I'd say there's a medium risk of you saying something which you have thought of rather than parroting other people, in that case

 

[Supine]

Back on topic. The WHO have just published an assessment of monkey pox in non endemic countries. Worth a read.

Multi-country monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries

www.who.int

 

[WhyLikeThis]

I'd say there's a medium risk of you saying something which you have thought of rather than parroting other people, in that case

Whereas there’s a high probability of you being a prick but the impact will be negligible. So, you’re a low-medium risk.

 

[Pickman's model]

Whereas there’s a high probability of you being a prick but the impact will be negligible. So, you’re a low-medium risk.

There you go parroting other people again

 

[WhyLikeThis]

There you go parroting other people again

You’re embarrassing yourself and disrupting this thread.

 

[Pickman's model]

You’re embarrassing yourself and disrupting this thread.

I'm by no means embarrassed and my disruption of this thread is as nothing in comparison to your own.

 

[kenny g]

Is a wonderful post...

That darklands fest looks like a bunch of stuck up exclusionary boring wankers obsessed with sharing bodily fluids if ever I saw one. Their response to monkey pox being to emphasise it came from abroad...I have been thinking all day about a festival that could be designed which didn't have so many stupid rules, was centred on fun and could include all. London fetish fest seems a bit better but how can we include FTM trans as well as the whole multiplex of sexuality and gender? Including the use of canes which are specifically banned at darklands? And women who enjoy active roles but do not self identify as Dom whose roles are excluded from the male
dominated fetish scene? Is anyone aware of anywhere where this is a topic before I scream?

 

[WhyLikeThis]

A child is in intensive care in London with Monkeypox.

Young child 'in intensive care with monkeypox in London hospital'

There have been 20 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK since May 6.

metro.co.uk

 

[gentlegreen]

There surely has to be a covid connection ?
Whacked immune system ?
No doubt they will cover that possibility ...

I wonder if TWIV are on the case yet ,....

 

[WouldBe]

There surely has to be a covid connection ?
Whacked immune system ?
No doubt they will cover that possibility ...

I wonder if TWIV are on the case yet ,....

Covid started in animals so did monkeypox. The animals are trying to take over.

 

[WhyLikeThis]

There surely has to be a covid connection ?
Whacked immune system ?
No doubt they will cover that possibility ...

I wonder if TWIV are on the case yet ,....

Severe cases occur more commonly among children

Mpox

WHO fact sheet on mpox: includes key facts, definition, outbreaks, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, WHO response.

www.who.int

Unfortunately, this is an expected characteristic.

 

[elbows]

There surely has to be a covid connection ?

There doesnt have to be, no.

I dont entirely rule one out because I dont rule most things out quickly, but nor do I require such a connection in order to make sense of events.

 

[gentlegreen]

There doesnt have to be, no.

I dont entirely rule one out because I dont rule most things out quickly, but nor do I require such a connection in order to make sense of events.

The other angle is whether social distancing would reduce monkeypox transmission ...
Though we already know that people took the piss ...

I wonder how STDs have been doing over the past couple of years ...

Hopefully they're on the case more than usual and will sort out coincidence, correlation and causation ...

 

[kenny g]

There surely has to be a covid connection ?
Whacked immune system ?
No doubt they will cover that possibility ...

I wonder if TWIV are on the case yet ,

The other angle is whether social distancing would reduce monkeypox transmission ...
Though we already know that people took the piss ...

I wonder how STDs have been doing over the past couple of years ...

Hopefully they're on the case more than usual and will sort out coincidence, correlation and causation ...

STDs were massively reduced during lockdown and have increased since.

 

[WhyLikeThis]

Close contacts of those with Monkeypox need to isolate for 21 days. If this spreads considerably more there’s likely to be disruption and some non-compliance.

 

[cupid_stunt]

It's been reported that a lot of cases so far has been amongst man that have sex with other men, which I guess needs reporting as it's a fact that people most at risk needs to know, but I was thinking over the weekend, that I hope this doesn't result in increased homophobia, and it being labelled a 'gay plague' by some twats, like AIDS was when it first surfaced.

And, indeed racism, because it comes from Africa, and we witnessed an increase in racist incidents involving the Chinese community when Covid arrived.

I see the United Nations’ Aids agency has the same concerns.

The United Nations’ Aids agency has called some reporting on the monkeypox virus racist and homophobic, warning of exacerbating stigma and undermining the response to the growing outbreak.

UNAIDS said “a significant proportion” of recent monkeypox cases have been identified among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

But transmission was most likely via close physical contact with a monkeypox sufferer and could affect anyone, it added, saying some portrayals of Africans and LGBTI people “reinforce homophobic and racist stereotypes and exacerbate stigma”.

“Stigma and blame undermine trust and capacity to respond effectively during outbreaks like this one,” said the UNAIDS deputy executive director, Matthew Kavanagh.

“Experience shows that stigmatising rhetoric can quickly disable evidence-based response by stoking cycles of fear, driving people away from health services, impeding efforts to identify cases and encouraging ineffective, punitive measures.”

UN denounces ‘homophobic and racist’ reporting on monkeypox spread

Some media portrayals of cases among African and LGBTI people fueling blame, agency says, as infections reported in Europe, US and Australia

www.theguardian.com

 

[LDC]

Close contacts of those with Monkeypox need to isolate for 21 days.

No, it's just a recommendation, no level of compulsion or law.

 

[frogwoman]

I'd think they'd struggle implementing another lockdown tbh. It doesn't seem like its that kind of disease anyway.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'd think they'd struggle implementing another lockdown tbh. It doesn't seem like its that kind of disease anyway.

I got a lot of grief on here for going to work with shingles - but there was no way I could have stayed off work for weeks with that.
Only a handful of pustules and all covered by my tee shirt.
I'm guessing this is a slightly different ball game though ...

 

[elbows]

I'd think they'd struggle implementing another lockdown tbh. It doesn't seem like its that kind of disease anyway.

Yeah there arent many circumstances where mass lockdowns are considered necessary and appropriate, which is why they were considered unthinkable for so long in countries like this one in the first months of the pandemic. This is also why I would not try to predict them or the levels of compliance far in advance of them. For example when the circumstances are so dire that one is deemed necessary the basic facts tend to aid compliance and a large chunk of the population grasp why they are necessary.

People are still much more likely to think of certain future covid scenarios when they think of possible future restrictions, and when such scenarios are considered we quickly get into awkward politics where Johnson is deemed unsuitable to be the leader if such things were ever required again.

For diseases including monkeypox, where ease, scale and speed of spread is considered to be quite different, the battle to limit things happens in slow motion compared to what we went through with covid. A bunch of public health measures can still be involved, and also forms of contact tracing and quarantine. And worrying escalations are possible given unfavourable circumstances and sufficient time. Plot twists are also possible. But there are also existing pharmaceutical options, and I would not try to apply too much of what was learnt and experienced in the covid pandemic to all these other sorts of disease outbreak.

Should the situation worsen there is also a different set of psychological responses that are likely to come into play. eg the age profile of Covid risk removed a lot of the most intense energy in regards 'fears for the health of our children' from the covid pandemic situation - it still existed in certain forms but not with the same intensity. The same cannot be said for a wide range of diseases where childhood is a notable risk factor.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Good twitter thread here -

 

[cupid_stunt]

36 new cases reported in the UK, taking the total to 56.

 

[elbows]

Good twitter thread here -

The BBC had a live updates page on monkeypox today, and several of the points that came up multiple times on that page are a good fit with what Helen was emphasising there. Including:

A notable proportion of UK cases of monkeypox are in gay or bisexual men, which has prompted the UK Health Security Agency to encourage men who have sex with men to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions.

The WHO's Andy Seale says it's early days, but this demographic is generally one which really takes care of health screening when it comes to potential STIs.

The fact this demographic has been proactive about responding to unusual symptoms might be part of the story, he says.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/health-61552254

 

[editor]

I'm by no means embarrassed and my disruption of this thread is as nothing in comparison to your own.

WhyLikeThis Pickman's model - you're both on mutual ignore for this thread. Thank you.
If you wish to comment on this mod decision, please take it to the feedback forum. Any discussion here will garner an immediate warning as this thread is far too important to be filled up with irrelevent personal bickering and beef.

 

[editor]

Good twitter thread here -

That is a good read.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I got a lot of grief on here for going to work with shingles - but there was no way I could have stayed off work for weeks with that.
Only a handful of pustules and all covered by my tee shirt.
I'm guessing this is a slightly different ball game though ...

It is risky to do that though - about 10% of adults have not had chickenpox, and childhood diseases are obviously more serious in adults and in some cases can kill. Anyone who has a serious infectious disease shouldn't be anywhere near the workplace.

 

[Sue]

It is risky to do that though - about 10% of adults have not had chickenpox, and childhood diseases are obviously more serious in adults and in some cases can kill. Anyone who has a serious infectious disease shouldn't be anywhere near the workplace.

Completely irresponsible is what it is/was. Anyone who's immunosuppressed/pregnant and hasn't had chicken pox is at particular risk from shingles. I'm actually really shocked you knowingly did this, gentlegreen.

 

[gentlegreen]

Completely irresponsible is what it is/was. Anyone who's immunosuppressed/pregnant and hasn't had chicken pox is at particular risk from shingles. I'm actually really shocked you knowingly did this, gentlegreen.

They're at risk from chicken pox. You cannot "catch" shingles.
I asked HR, I asked my line manager .
My understanding was that with the nature of my job the risk was incredibly low.