Omicron variant

What’s the plan for those WHO certificates now that we’re dealing with this "new" variant...

Linda Harris59 said:That is completely wrong. If you look at the data, the most dangerous mutations actually emerge from countries with very low vaccination rates. For instance, the Delta variant surfaced in India long before we even had a vaccine available.

It is true that a vaccine-resistant super-mutation could eventually become dominant in highly vaccinated nations like the USA. But the actual probability of a super-mutation developing within a vaccinated person is incredibly slim. Because there is a much smaller viral load and a shorter window of opportunity, antibodies strike the virus immediately, shutting down mass reproduction before it can mutate significantly.

Thanks!

George Kern2 said:What’s the plan for those WHO certificates now that we’re dealing with this "new" variant...

Forget the damn certificates. You're obsessing over a scrap of paper while ignoring the bigger picture: everyone is terrified. With or without proof, it's happening everywhere. 😁😁

I’m betting on survival of the fittest. Back when the plague hit, it was the strongest or the smartest who made it through. And if you think this situation is going to bring out the best in people? Not a chance. 🙂I'm an optimist, though!

Linda Harris59 said:That is completely wrong. If you look at the data, the most dangerous mutations actually emerge from countries with very low vaccination rates. For instance, the Delta variant surfaced in India long before we even had a vaccine available.

It is true that a vaccine-resistant super-mutation could eventually become dominant in highly vaccinated nations like the USA. But the actual probability of a super-mutation developing within a vaccinated person is incredibly slim. Because there is a much smaller viral load and a shorter window of opportunity, antibodies strike the virus immediately, shutting down mass reproduction before it can mutate significantly.

Let me let you in on a little secret, just to see if you're a bot or a human, and to see if you'll keep blowing your horn after this.

The virus itself recognizes a very specific target to latch onto, which in this case is the ACE2 receptors.

That's an explanation for people like you, 😁

But check this out: those ACE2 receptors also have various mutations. Look at the link.

Investigation of the genetic variation in ACE2 on the structural recognition by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

https://translational-medicine.biome...86-7/figures/2

So what now? Just keep being stubborn... or actually realize what's happening.😉

George Kern2 said:What’s the plan for those WHO certificates now that we’re dealing with this "new" variant...

I suppose they'll just introduce other colors. Maybe.

Linda Lee4 said:For the alarmists out there...

New York City (CNN on Saturday) — The Delta variant of the coronavirus results in mild disease, lacking any major symptoms, according to the chairwoman of the American Medical Association, who spoke to CNN on Saturday.
"It’s mostly just mild illness where people deal with muscle aches and feeling run down for a day or two. From what we've seen, those who catch it aren't losing their sense of taste or smell. You might get a minor cough, but nothing major. Some of those infected are just managing everything from home right now," she noted.

That sounds pretty reassuring. Got a link for that?

Sarah Ross21 said:Forget the damn certificates. You're obsessing over a scrap of paper while ignoring the bigger picture: everyone is terrified. With or without proof, it's happening everywhere. 😁😁

I’m betting on survival of the fittest. Back when the plague hit, it was the strongest or the smartest who made it through. And if you think this situation is going to bring out the best in people? Not a chance. 🙂I'm an optimist, though!

At most, maybe 0.5% of people are actually rattled, which includes everyone already on edge, so Omicron doesn't really have much room to cause chaos despite all the sensationalist headlines we see in the news.

Sarah Ross21 said:Forget the damn certificates. You're obsessing over a scrap of paper while ignoring the bigger picture: everyone is terrified. With or without proof, it's happening everywhere. 😁😁

I’m betting on survival of the fittest. Back when the plague hit, it was the strongest or the smartest who made it through. And if you think this situation is going to bring out the best in people? Not a chance. 🙂I'm an optimist, though!

yeah yeah, is this "new" variant just going to suddenly spread everywhere overnight? lol

It took Delta over a year to do what it did—Omicron will probably be everywhere within a few days...

One thing about Omicron is its capacity for teleportation—it'll suddenly pop up in any country or city needed to push a specific narrative.

COVID-19 certificates ... don't even get me started.

Benjamin Brooks2 said:Let me let you in on a little secret, just to see if you're a bot or a human, and to see if you'll keep blowing your horn after this.

The virus itself recognizes a very specific target to latch onto, which in this case is the ACE2 receptors.

That's an explanation for people like you, 😁

But check this out: those ACE2 receptors also have various mutations. Look at the link.

Investigation of the genetic variation in ACE2 on the structural recognition by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

https://translational-medicine.biome...86-7/figures/2

So what now? Just keep being stubborn... or actually realize what's happening.😉

What on earth does that have to do with my explanation regarding mutations?

If you honestly think there is a connection, then please, enlighten me.

Ronald Chavez2 said:At most, maybe 0.5% of people are actually rattled, which includes everyone already on edge, so Omicron doesn't really have much room to cause chaos despite all the sensationalist headlines we see in the news.

Look, let’s round up to 1% just to make the math easy. In the US, that’s roughly 3.3 million people. 3.3 million graves. 3.3 million burial plots. A massive cemetery like Arlington National Cemetery holds about 265,000 graves. Can you visualize that? We're talking about Arlington, plus another twelve such cemeteries—brand new.

And that’s only 1 percent. Imagine if it hits 2 percent; that’s another dozen Arlington-sized graveyards filled to capacity. If it hits 3 percent, that’s eighteen more full graveyards. Get it? Not to mention there aren't enough hospital beds for even that 1 percent, unless you think the capacity of the American healthcare system magically expanded overnight.

hiddendriver34 said:That sounds pretty reassuring. Got a link for that?

Here you go—no need to sit there trembling.

Sarah Ross21 said:I have no idea where you're getting your data, but it's the exact opposite of everything I've read. That's not what the epidemiologists were saying, either. Unvaccinated people are much worse "breeding grounds" for mutations than those who are vaccinated. It's basic logic, isn't it? They just took some ingredient, whatever they want to call it!

That’s why they came up with that "do it for others" slogan. Except the logic is a bit too transparent for most people to actually buy.

If I’m reading this slogan right, the whole "get vaccinated..." part is aimed at the people who actually need the shots, not the ones who already have them.

Sarah Ross21 said:Look, let’s round up to 1% just to make the math easy. In the US, that’s roughly 3.3 million people. 3.3 million graves. 3.3 million burial plots. A massive cemetery like Arlington National Cemetery holds about 265,000 graves. Can you visualize that? We're talking about Arlington, plus another twelve such cemeteries—brand new.

And that’s only 1 percent. Imagine if it hits 2 percent; that’s another dozen Arlington-sized graveyards filled to capacity. If it hits 3 percent, that’s eighteen more full graveyards. Get it? Not to mention there aren't enough hospital beds for even that 1 percent, unless you think the capacity of the American healthcare system magically expanded overnight.

Isn't it obvious that for someone to pass away, they first have to get infected, and surely they won't all fall ill at once or have 40,000 people die in a single day? Furthermore, isn't it clear that death itself didn't just suddenly appear with this pandemic, but has been part of life all along?

George Kern2 said:yeah yeah, is this "new" variant just going to suddenly spread everywhere overnight? lol

It took Delta over a year to do what it did—Omicron will probably be everywhere within a few days...

One thing about Omicron is its capacity for teleportation—it'll suddenly pop up in any country or city needed to push a specific narrative.

COVID-19 certificates ... don't even get me started.

https://prnt.sc/20xu51q

Like I said—this virus can basically perform teleportation.🙏🙏

Until now, nobody even knew this strain existed, and now it’s suddenly all over the map... it sure knows how to show up in all the right places globally.🤦

The developers couldn't wait another year for this virus to spread naturally—they had to give it a new skill: teleportation.

So, this lady over in Belgium tested positive for Omicron—she hasn't had any shots and isn't even showing anything crazy in terms of symptoms.

omicron update..😬

Omicron Update: Nov 27

Katelyn Jetelina
Nov 28

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There is a ton of anxiety out there. Honestly, I’m feeling it too. The public is being asked to understand The second most complex system in The human body while navigating a Sea of misinformation while coping with significant pandemic exhaustion and mental health problems. And to top it off? We’re getting almost zero actual communication.

So, I figured I’d drop a quick update to show you where things stand. Here is everything we’ve picked up in the last 36 hours since I last posted:

1. The WHO officially labeled B.1.1.529 as a Variant of Concern (VOC) and gave it the name Omicron.

They skipped over "Nu" (it sounds too much like "new") and "Xi" (sounds like a common surname), which honestly, this Has already become political in The U. S…..

Just so we're clear, a VOC is a more serious label than a ”Variant of Interest ” but less Sever Than “ Variant of high Consequence ”. After working with South African health officials, WHO had enough evidence to say Omicron is spreading faster and saw some pretty worrying changes in the spike protein.

2. We got one tiny update from the CDC—just a couple of lines. Basically, they said there aren't any cases in the States yet and told everyone to stick to the current safety rules. That total silence from the CDC? It’s honestly so discouraging.

3. More Omicron cases are popping up globally. The BNO newsroom is doing a killer job tracking them:

But even this list is already a bit behind because things are moving so fast. To give you some extra context and more cases:

Israel: They have 4 confirmed cases now: 1 from travel and 3 from within the community. It’s that community spread that really made them hit the panic button and shut things down.

Belgium: One case so far. An unvaccinated Young woman developed flu-like symptoms 11 Days after travelling to Egypt via Turkey. She didn't even go to South Africa! Because of that, Belgium is now backtracking to look at 47 potential cases. They're checking old PCR results to see if Omicron has been sneaking around unnoticed.

Netherlands: You might see that number 61 in the chart above. There were Two flights fra South Africa that landed in Amsterdam latiti Last Night. As soon as they touched down, they tested all 600 passengers right on the tarmac, and 61 of them tested positive. A 10% infection rate on a single flight? That is absolutely insane. Just mind-blowing. Especially since everyone tested negative before they even took off. With these hits, we really need to figure out a few things:

Did these folks know each other before the flight (maybe on a tour or sharing a hotel)?

What was the vaccination situation (what kind, when, did they get a booster)?

What kind of symptoms are they showing?

And, obviously, was it actually Omicron causing it?

We should hopefully have an update soon.

4. We still don't have the hard science on how Omicron handles immune escape or how fast it spreads. If you hear anyone claiming they know for sure right now (even the US President), it's just guesswork. Hypotheses are fine to talk about, but it isn't solid evidence. Real science takes time, period. I'd say give it a week or two before the real data starts hitting the desk.

5. We're seeing plenty of cases, but not many people getting seriously ill. Just yesterday, the head of the ICU at an Omicron hotspot hospital mentioned that among their patients:

“About 65% are not vaccinated and most of the rest are only half-vaccinated”.

Now, that is some seriously good news. It might mean our vaccines are still doing their job at preventing the heavy stuff and death. But, I have to say—and I can't stress this enough—this is all very early stages. We still need to nail down a few more details:

Could we be looking at a tiny sample size here? It's possible Omicron simply hasn't hit its stride in South Africa yet, so those hospitalization numbers haven't caught up.

Or maybe it's just a matter of timing? Usually, when you look at the whole country, hospital trends tend to trail behind case counts by about three or four weeks.

Then again, could it be the people themselves? Different populations react to infections in all sorts of ways. What's playing out in South Africa might not be a perfect preview of what we'll see elsewhere.

The bottom line? We're still staring at more questions than actual answers. But hey, we'll figure it out soon enough. Don't go underestimating Omicron, but please, don't lose hope either. Our immune systems are seriously amazing.

Look, none of this changes the basics of what you should be doing right this second: Keep the air moving and ventilate your space. Wear your masks. If you feel crappy, get tested. If you test positive, isolate. And yeah, get vaccinated. Get that booster, too. (Seriously, get the shot. I'll dive deeper into that tomorrow.)

I'm not sure if this sheds any light on things, but I figured I'd bring you guys along for the ride.

Linda Harris59 said:That is completely wrong. If you look at the data, the most dangerous mutations actually emerge from countries with very low vaccination rates. For instance, the Delta variant surfaced in India long before we even had a vaccine available.

It is true that a vaccine-resistant super-mutation could eventually become dominant in highly vaccinated nations like the USA. But the actual probability of a super-mutation developing within a vaccinated person is incredibly slim. Because there is a much smaller viral load and a shorter window of opportunity, antibodies strike the virus immediately, shutting down mass reproduction before it can mutate significantly.

I was just laying out the mechanism here. We could go down a rabbit hole debating the actual numbers and all the different variables involved, if you really want to go there.

Is it more about how long mutations take (cycles) or the sheer force of selection
in a host? All these variants are basically fighting a war to claim cells. In an unvaccinated person, a super mutation doesn't actually have much of a comparative edge; usually, some mid-level strain just crowds everything else out.
But in someone who's vaccinated? A super mutation could have a decisive advantage.

Just because something is unlikely doesn't mean it's impossible.

If the entire population were 100% vaccinated, sure, there wouldn't be a virus. But in a partially vaccinated society, there's always going to be a "reservoir."

George Kern2 said:Sarah Ross21, you're a total wreck... why even make posts like this?

I'm just being realistic. Don't try to deny it. 😁

The biggest issue with today's generations is their inability to handle facts or actual problems. When someone presents them with reality, they just hit you with "oh, you're being so negative" or "just stay positive and vibrate higher."

All those people "vibrating positively" who refused the vaccine were vibrating pretty hard back in Arlington. 🙂 Then there are the two extra cemeteries we're going to have to build. 🙂 I was actually talking to my neighbor today who works at the local municipal cemeteries. You guys have no idea.

Ronald Chavez2 said:Isn't it obvious that for someone to pass away, they first have to get infected, and surely they won't all fall ill at once or have 40,000 people die in a single day? Furthermore, isn't it clear that death itself didn't just suddenly appear with this pandemic, but has been part of life all along?

The point isn't whether people die in one day or spread out over six months. Do you even grasp what 40,000 unnecessary deaths means? Extra deaths? Clearly, you don't.
During the entire Vietnam War, even under the worst-case scenarios, about 58,000 Americans died. That was on one side alone.

Think about two Vietnam Wars. That would be a massive tragedy, but to you, this is just "not a big deal." And we are only talking about the 1 percent who end up critical. I could easily support your thesis that 99 percent will be fine. I agree with you there. So what part of my math doesn't fit your narrative? We started from your own premise!

Then there's everyone else who dies from regular things—cancer, "old age," whatever.

I know the numbers shock you. But it doesn't matter. Don't bother getting vaccinated; just get infected and then pass it on to at least 20 people around you. As long as your own ass feels fine, that's all that matters. The fact that maybe 10 of those 20 people might die, or pass it to a sick family member who will die, isn't important. And then you can pat yourselves on the back for being such good people. I don't think you are.

And yeah, you're right, we're only talking about the 1 percent who are critical. The 99 percent will be totally fine. I just hope you or a family member doesn't end up in that 1 percent. Funerals are expensive, and there's no guarantee there will even be space. Or maybe your loved one will just be sitting in a bag, piled up in some cold storage, while you pray the mayor figures out a solution quickly. Or maybe we'll start cremating bodies en masse like they had to in India because the capacity just can't keep up with the demand.

It's not bad. Just keep those positive vibes going. Everything will be fine.

Why did the WHO skip over the letter Xi when naming virus variants?