COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion

Yaayuh! · 27 Jun 2022 at 12:03

CapitalOne said:
I'll take a punt that there is an agenda there, i.e.

150 "studies" about "masks" in "any context", including the classics:
*snip*

You only have to view their blog to find they're somewhat biased.. They really don't like Obamacare lol.

SmokeKingGun · 27 Jun 2022 at 12:31

Honestly are we STILL debating whether masks work, it has been proven time and time again from reputable studies that a well fitted FFP2 mask worn correctly works. This is problem with no clear messaging and woolly face covering definition and no guidance on usage. Personal responsibility is a joke.

If omicron b5 takes off and turns nasty attacking lungs deeper and dodges previous immunity we will be back to square one. This summer spike was not expected and the government have lost respect of general public so will find it harder to implement any meaningful rules/regulations. It will be too late again before any action is taken.

Let’s hope it’s not needed and it burns itself quickly out, I would really worry about coming winter and what strain has been cooked up by then.

It’s like we have learnt absolutely nothing from past years. Lunatics are definitely running the asylum.

Tephnos · 27 Jun 2022 at 12:41

SmokeKingGun said:
Honestly are we STILL debating whether masks work, it has been proven time and time again from reputable studies that a well fitted FFP2 mask worn correctly works. This is problem with no clear messaging and woolly face covering definition and no guidance on usage. Personal responsibility is a joke.

If omicron b5 takes off and turns nasty attacking lungs deeper and dodges previous immunity we will be back to square one. This summer spike was not expected and the government have lost respect of general public so will find it harder to implement any meaningful rules/regulations. It will be too late again before any action is taken.

Let’s hope it’s not needed and it burns itself quickly out, I would really worry about coming winter and what strain has been cooked up by then.

It’s like we have learnt absolutely nothing from past years. Lunatics are definitely running the asylum.

Luckily, at least if it is still BA.5 that is around when winter ticks around, the updated vaccines seem to work against it too. I reckon the only reason BA.5 doesn't seem that bad so far is probably because summer is having an impact on the spread (which says a lot about its ability to spread as it is!)

Of course, it won't help much if the NHS start only allowing over 50s to get it instead of everyone, which would just be a slap in the face.

woppy101 · 27 Jun 2022 at 13:44

Tephnos said:
Luckily, at least if it is still BA.5 that is around when winter ticks around, the updated vaccines seem to work against it too. I reckon the only reason BA.5 doesn't seem that bad so far is probably because summer is having an impact on the spread (which says a lot about its ability to spread as it is!)

Of course, it won't help much if the NHS start only allowing over 50s to get it instead of everyone, which would just be a slap in the face.

If South Africa is anything to go by, hopefully the B5 wave won’t be too bad(touches wood) they look to have came through it relatively unscathed

Puzzled · 27 Jun 2022 at 17:34

Tephnos said:
Luckily, at least if it is still BA.5 that is around when winter ticks around, the updated vaccines seem to work against it too. I reckon the only reason BA.5 doesn't seem that bad so far is probably because summer is having an impact on the spread (which says a lot about its ability to spread as it is!)

Of course, it won't help much if the NHS start only allowing over 50s to get it instead of everyone, which would just be a slap in the face.

The current Autumn booster plan is for over 65's, hopefully they'll open it up further.

Rroff · 27 Jun 2022 at 17:59

MatteH Oxford said:
150 studies detailing the (in)effectiveness of masks: https://centerforneurologyandspine.com/do-masks-work-see-the-review-of-over-150-studies-below/
I'm reading all the ad-hom attacks on me in the (now archived) covid forum, most amusing!

Most of those studies don't support masks being ineffective only show their limitations in specific situations - the ineffective bit is people's ability to understand how masks are best used to actually have an effect.

Something people seem to have trouble comprehending for some reason is that basic masks work with distancing and crowd mobility, their main benefit is to bring an overall reduction in the level of transmission, which benefits us all, rather than offering direct personal protection. They do not work if you spend prolonged periods in close proximity to someone - but the presence of masks can influence behaviour by reminding people to be more careful which also helps to reduce transmission and potentially avoid the necessity of stricter measures.

For other situations more appropriate masks are required to have an impact on overall trends never mind providing personal protection.

A lot of what you are seeing as masks not being effective is the outcome of people not understanding and/or being unwilling to use the appropriate mask properly...

Tom|Nbk · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:02

utajoker said:
Anyone who has lost taste and smell how quickly did it come back? I've read 3-4 weeks to a year to it not coming back

It's day 12 for me I'm over it now pretty much everything's sorted out and I'm a hard negative on LFT my smell is pretty much none existent still and taste comes and goes.

I reckon be in the 3-4 week at this rate but could see it going on for longer.

Tephnos · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:19

Puzzled said:
The current Autumn booster plan is for over 65's, hopefully they'll open it up further.

Those current plans are really made for the current crop of vaccines in mind. With a targeted Omicron booster that should massively reduce the transmission rate of Omicron infections, I'd hope they would start to allow anyone who wants it to get one.

utajoker · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:28

Tom|Nbk said:
It's day 12 for me I'm over it now pretty much everything's sorted out and I'm a hard negative on LFT my smell is pretty much none existent still and taste comes and goes.

I reckon be in the 3-4 week at this rate but could see it going on for longer.

I think not tasting anything is the worst symptom I've had. Thinking I want something to then realise no point as I won't taste it...

CaptainRAVE · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:33

utajoker said:
I think not tasting anything is the worst symptom I've had. Thinking I want something to then realise no point as I won't taste it...

Yup, literally all I could sense was the texture of food which was weird. It’s slowly come back. I kept treating myself to a chocolate bar and then realising what a waste it was.

I don’t care about smell, it’s actually quite handy for doing bins, cat litter trays etc. I’ve barely had any smell return.

Loads of my colleagues out with Covid.

Tom|Nbk · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:35

utajoker said:
I think not tasting anything is the worst symptom I've had. Thinking I want something to then realise no point as I won't taste it...

Yea my appetite has gone way down off the back of it.

CaptainRAVE · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:40

Tom|Nbk said:
Yea my appetite has gone way down off the back of it.

I’ve literally had to force myself to eat - the only plus side I can find is that I’ve unintentionally trimmed a load of fat. What’s also been weird is as my taste returned all I could taste was sweet/sour, but in no meaningful way. Same with smell, everything I can smell actually smells wrong - like perfume smelling like a damp room. It’s darn weird.

SkodaMart · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:41

SideWinder said:
What a strange time we have been through...remember when we clapped at 8pm every Thursday? Just remembered it today.

Truly has changed modern society in so many ways...and of course, unspeakable sad times too.

Shame they didn’t get the pay rise they deserve. Clapping gets old fast.

CaptainRAVE · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:43

SkodaMart said:
Shame they didn’t get the pay rise they deserve. Clapping gets old fast.

Not being able to see a GP has gotten old just as quickly too.

SkodaMart · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:43

CaptainRAVE said:
Not being able to see a GP has gotten old just as quickly too.

Walk in centre?

Jokester · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:45

200sols said:
I quickly googled it, im not delving into the research but the first line of the article is

https://us.gsk.com/en-us/media/press-releases/new-large-scale-observational-study/

So it would see the link between Covid and shingles has been found but anything more than a casual link between the vaccines and shingles has not.

Yeah there's a few papers been releaseed, not sure what one that article is actually referring to, or how big a study as it's light in specific details as far I can see.

SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine

Background: COVID-19 infections have presented with various cutaneous manifestations in COVID-19 positive patients, including reports of rising cases of herpes zoster (HZ). Objective: Our investigation sought to investigate the proposed association between a positive COVID-19 test result and...

jofskin.org

Small study couldn't find a clear link, but only several hundred patients involved so suffers the same issue a lot of papers looking in to more unconventional covid treatments suffer

.

https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(21)00119-3/fulltext

A population level study in Brazil noted a significant increase in shingles during the pandemic, but couldn't really pin it on anything in particular, though I suspect this is more to do with lack of investigation to tease out who was going on to develop shingles and in what circumstances.

Herpes zoster following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases: a case series

AbstractObjectives. As global vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 disease commence, vaccine safety needs to be closely assessed. The safety profile of m

academic.oup.com

Small study in Israel showed a possible link with vaccines in people with existing immune issues (in this case rheumatoid arthritis type conditions so fairly common in the elderly).

CaptainRAVE · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:46

SkodaMart said:
Walk in centre?

Just our local surgery. It’s put a huge demand on our local A&E. Nurses definitely deserve a good rise, imo they are the backbone of the service.

SkodaMart · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:47

CaptainRAVE said:
Just our local surgery. It’s put a huge demand on our local A&E. Nurses definitely deserve a good rise, imo they are the backbone of the service.

The trouble is with a percentage raise the ones that are already earning big get proportionally more than the ones who need it the most.

CaptainRAVE · 27 Jun 2022 at 18:49

SkodaMart said:
The trouble is with a percentage raise the ones that are already earning big get proportionally more than the ones who need it the most.

Indeed, it’s a darn shame.

Tom|Nbk · 27 Jun 2022 at 19:16

CaptainRAVE said:
I’ve literally had to force myself to eat - the only plus side I can find is that I’ve unintentionally trimmed a load of fat. What’s also been weird is as my taste returned all I could taste was sweet/sour, but in no meaningful way. Same with smell, everything I can smell actually smells wrong - like perfume smelling like a damp room. It’s darn weird.

Yea I had the weird chemical smell to some things and somethings just taste very bizarre