Omicron variant

Sarah Ross21 said:Not necessarily. But let's just say the odds are better on our side. 🙂😁😁 And I like having better odds. Whether I'm betting or just living my life. It's common sense.

Though, given that subvariant coming out of Africa, I suspect my chances are dropping too. 🙂

We'll see about that. I'm currently up 1-0 since I've moved past the nonsense and I'm still standing.😁

Linda Lee4 said:We'll see about that. I'm currently up 1-0 since I've moved past the nonsense and I'm still standing.😁

Beyoncé, congrats. Really. I hope you survive this African strain and all the ones coming right behind it. Because they are coming. As the mutations pile up, your odds of surviving them drop every single day, regardless of how young or healthy you think you are.

I honestly think this is the only disease where that old saying "let them die off one by one" actually makes sense.

@Roman, you aren't psychic; you just used logic. And honestly, in this climate, that's saying something.🙂

Sarah Ross21 said:Beyoncé, congrats. Really. I hope you survive this African strain and all the ones coming right behind it. Because they are coming. As the mutations pile up, your odds of surviving them drop every single day, regardless of how young or healthy you think you are.

I honestly think this is the only disease where that old saying "let them die off one by one" actually makes sense.

@Roman, you aren't psychic; you just used logic. And honestly, in this climate, that's saying something.🙂

Hold your horses, lady, let's see who's actually holding the winning hand here...

1. You, sitting there vaccinated with immunity to a single outdated variant based solely on one specific spike protein.

2. Me, having built natural immunity against all twenty-plus proteins of the coronavirus, backed up by 132 studies proving that natural immunity is simply superior to what a shot provides.

Hmmmmmm 🙄

Benjamin Brooks2 said:It’s about intelligence. You clearly lack it if you can't connect two pieces of data.

I explained that the virus enters the cell via the ACE2 receptor.

That receptor varies between Asian, African, and European populations... I gave you a chart, so Wand can analyze the numbers for you. 😁

It's obviously too complicated for you. Why isn't anyone debating this in public? 🤦

Studies have found that SARS-CoV-specific monoclonal antibodies and recombinant ACE2-Ig can potently neutralize SARS-CoV-2, and a hexapeptide of the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein binds to ACE2, thus blocking SARS-CoV entry

Clearly there are other ways to stop the virus, but they chose vaccines.

Question: Aren't you embarrassed by not grasping the basics? What part didn't you get—that the ACE2 receptor itself also mutates like the virus? Or will vaccines cause mutations in that ACE2 receptor and give us COVID-25?

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What if it turns out, say, Asians have a different ACE2 receptor that prevents the virus from entering cells? Could someone then violate the Constitution or the UN Charter by forcing movement restrictions without vaccination?

You haven't actually explained a single thing here; you just dropped a link to a scientific paper that clearly went right over your head.

Look, I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit I don't know the specifics of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. That isn't my field of expertise, and frankly, it shouldn't be. The intricate mechanisms behind angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 are fascinating subjects for actual specialists—people who have spent years studying this stuff—not for us casual users on a forum who are clearly out of our depth. This research was published by top-tier experts in epidemiology, dermatology, molecular biology, and translational medicine. You can certainly choose to posture and pretend you possess a superior understanding of these complex biological processes, but in my view, trying to act smarter than the scientists who actually conducted the work only serves to make you look ridiculous.

It is my firm belief that only those who possess absolutely zero actual knowledge feel the desperate need to masquerade as an expert on everything under the sun. I’ve encountered plenty of people like this in my own career—individuals who talk loudly and confidently about subjects they clearly haven't spent a single hour studying, simply to mask their own profound ignorance. Real expertise doesn't require such a constant, performative display; true intelligence usually comes with the humility to admit what one doesn't know.

You’re completely missing the big picture here. If you actually took the time to sit down and read my post properly, you would see that my argument is entirely cohesive and logically sound.

The fundamental mechanism at play here is quite simple yet devastatingly effective: the virus essentially hijacks the cellular machinery to replicate itself within the host cells.
The virus simply replicates more aggressively within an organism that lacks sufficient immunological protection. When the body's defenses aren't primed to recognize the threat, the pathogen finds much more fertile ground to multiply.
It is a fundamental biological reality that when a virus cannot replicate itself with absolute precision, it inevitably triggers mutations. This isn't just some theoretical speculation; it is how the mechanism works. If the replication process is flawed or imprecise, you end up with genetic variations. It’s a direct consequence of the instability during the copying phase.
The mathematical reality here is quite simple: as the number of mutations climbs, we are essentially looking at an increased statistical probability that the virus will develop resistance to any immunity gained through vaccination. It’s a matter of basic evolutionary pressure. The more the genetic makeup shifts, the higher the chance that the existing antibodies simply won't recognize the target anymore.
That fifth mutation—the one specifically designed to evade the immunity we built up through vaccination—is inevitably going to become the dominant variant in highly vaccinated nations like the United States. It’s an unavoidable biological progression. When you have a massive portion of the population with a specific immunological profile, the virus eventually finds its way around those defenses, and once it does, that particular strain takes over. It's simply how evolution works in these environments.

Go ahead, flex those intellectual muscles and put that massive knowledge of yours regarding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor to good use. Try your hand at disputing what I’ve laid out above. If you're feeling up to the challenge, be a gentleman and break down exactly where I'm wrong, point by point.

Linda Lee4 said:Hold your horses, lady, let's see who's actually holding the winning hand here...

1. You, sitting there vaccinated with immunity to a single outdated variant based solely on one specific spike protein.

2. Me, having built natural immunity against all twenty-plus proteins of the coronavirus, backed up by 132 studies proving that natural immunity is simply superior to what a shot provides.

Hmmmmmm 🙄

Having #1 actually gives you a better shot at getting #2.

Edit
The vaccine isn't some foreign entity living in your body fighting the virus on its own. It just triggers a reaction so your body knows how to fight when the real thing shows up. So, either way, your body is the one doing the heavy lifting.

Linda Lee4 said:Hold your horses, lady, let's see who's actually holding the winning hand here...

1. You, sitting there vaccinated with immunity to a single outdated variant based solely on one specific spike protein.

2. Me, having built natural immunity against all twenty-plus proteins of the coronavirus, backed up by 132 studies proving that natural immunity is simply superior to what a shot provides.

Hmmmmmm 🙄

I think we both have it covered. I also think my odds might be worse than yours since I’m older, though maybe not. I scored great on some kinesiology tests once! So the real question is which one of us could outlast the other. 🙂

The studies I've read show that the vaccinated have stronger immunity than those who got it through infection.

p.s.
I’m not panicking, I’m being realistic about how things are 🙂 and if you want to get worked up about it, that’s your problem. I’m not an expert. 🙂

Sarah Ross21 said:It doesn't cause issues for young Africans who have already recovered. But the real question is whether it will hit older Europeans hard.

Not to mention that every race and genetic makeup deals with specific diseases differently. One group handles something perfectly fine while another struggles.

Those young Africans over there have built up immunity to everything. You really think young people—not even mentioning the elderly Americans—are just as hardened? I wouldn't bet on it.

It's funny how they flip the script. One minute these young African Americans are just unlucky carriers spreading new strains because they're struggling, and the next, they're portrayed as these ultra-resilient people who can shrug off any disease, including this one. Like a preacher would say, "The Lord works in mysterious ways."
That’s pretty much how the panic-mongers view "the sickness."

Lisa Barnes5 said:Patients are complaining about headaches and feeling wiped out.

Basically, it feels like a massive hangover.

EVERYONE. GO. HOME. NOW.

Dammit, then I’m gonna end up with Omicron myself.😲

Lisa Barnes5 said:Patients are complaining about headaches and feeling wiped out.

Basically, it feels like a massive hangover.

EVERYONE. GO. HOME. NOW.

Hmm, well, I deal with that several times a month. 🙏

Zachary Smith91 said:I am not buying any of their stories.
That is exactly how the whole COVID mess started... a little bit of this, a little bit of that, until suddenly the whole world was being ravaged.
It's a hundred and one different versions of the truth.
And half of them don't even make sense!
Then you sit there listening to one group, then another, and everyone thinks they're such an expert.
Even the doctors—supposedly these top-tier specialists—are just talking in circles. One side says we shouldn't have vaccinated the population during a pandemic, the other says we didn't vaccinate enough, and meanwhile, the sickness just keeps ripping through and killing whoever it wants.
My husband is on vacation, and he’s already having to cut it short because two people in the house are sick.
Then there’s my boss, who had COVID last year in November and took three doses of the vaccine.
He hasn't even done a test yet, he's waiting on the PCR results, but he's been sitting there with a 102-degree fever for three days straight.
I just hope it isn't the flu... honestly, it's terrifying.
I told my husband, who got his shot and moved past it, that he might as well strap five masks to his face at this point.

Honestly, lifelong quarantine seems like the safest bet.

Lisa Barnes5 said:Patients are complaining about headaches and feeling wiped out.

Basically, it feels like a massive hangover.

EVERYONE. GO. HOME. NOW.

Personally, I’ve been dealing with that exact same vibe for the last 20g😁

Thomas Cook said:Honestly, lifelong quarantine seems like the safest bet.

If you've only got one person getting sick every 3.1 miles then honestly, it’s no wonder the virus isn't spreading much at all.

John Fowler2 said:Having #1 actually gives you a better shot at getting #2.

Edit
The vaccine isn't some foreign entity living in your body fighting the virus on its own. It just triggers a reaction so your body knows how to fight when the real thing shows up. So, either way, your body is the one doing the heavy lifting.

All that typing for nothing. You're just an anti-vaxxer at this point.

If you're a data junkie, you might want to skip this one.

A warning from a German doctor: If the coronavirus keeps mutating, we could see a variant just as lethal as Ebola.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/zimo.dn...---685888.html

Sarah Ross21 said:I think we both have it covered. I also think my odds might be worse than yours since I’m older, though maybe not. I scored great on some kinesiology tests once! So the real question is which one of us could outlast the other. 🙂

The studies I've read show that the vaccinated have stronger immunity than those who got it through infection.

p.s.
I’m not panicking, I’m being realistic about how things are 🙂 and if you want to get worked up about it, that’s your problem. I’m not an expert. 🙂

Lol You're reading "studies" that are basically just glorified brochures from the manufacturers, let's be honest. So, what's the deal then—is artificial immunity supposedly stronger than natural immunity after three months? What do you think? How about after nine months? Especially since they keep promising us a new booster every time we turn around

Thomas Cook said:If you're a data junkie, you might want to skip this one.

A warning from a German doctor: If the coronavirus keeps mutating, we could see a variant just as lethal as Ebola.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/zimo.dn...---685888.html

I haven't read the full article, but I can certainly comment on the logic here.

Ebola is actually so incredibly lethal that it remains globally manageable because it kills off its host before it even gets the chance to spread effectively. Get it? When you're standing next to a dead man, he isn't exactly breathing down your neck.

Secondly, there is no "if." The coronavirus is going to continue mutating—that is simply how viruses function. I have been stating this repeatedly: the larger the pool of immunocompromised and unvaccinated individuals, the greater the opportunities for new mutations to arise.

The silver lining is that when a virus mutates excessively, it often ends up destroying itself. It reaches a point where it mutates so much that it ceases to be the same virus entirely and just vanishes. Viruses are merely passing through. We need to get vaccinated so we don't get swept away while they're making their way through.

ruggedhawk20 said:All that typing for nothing. You're just an anti-vaxxer at this point.

So, does everyone who skips a booster suddenly become an anti-vaxxer? Like, here in the States, if a booster is only considered valid for six months, what happens to the people who planned on getting one but miss the window? Are they anti-vaxxers too? It feels like you're only "vaccinated" if your digital pass says so—once the timer runs out, according to the system, you're basically unprotected again.

As for these new variants, honestly, nothing surprising there. We all saw this coming. There'll be more.

Linda Harris59 said:I haven't read the full article, but I can certainly comment on the logic here.

Ebola is actually so incredibly lethal that it remains globally manageable because it kills off its host before it even gets the chance to spread effectively. Get it? When you're standing next to a dead man, he isn't exactly breathing down your neck.

Secondly, there is no "if." The coronavirus is going to continue mutating—that is simply how viruses function. I have been stating this repeatedly: the larger the pool of immunocompromised and unvaccinated individuals, the greater the opportunities for new mutations to arise.

The silver lining is that when a virus mutates excessively, it often ends up destroying itself. It reaches a point where it mutates so much that it ceases to be the same virus entirely and just vanishes. Viruses are merely passing through. We need to get vaccinated so we don't get swept away while they're making their way through.

And if you actually bothered to read the linked article...

Sarah Ross21 said:I think we both have it covered. I also think my odds might be worse than yours since I’m older, though maybe not. I scored great on some kinesiology tests once! So the real question is which one of us could outlast the other. 🙂

The studies I've read show that the vaccinated have stronger immunity than those who got it through infection.

p.s.
I’m not panicking, I’m being realistic about how things are 🙂 and if you want to get worked up about it, that’s your problem. I’m not an expert. 🙂

That’s just plain wrong.

Thomas Cook said:And if you actually bothered to read the linked article...

I did read it.

Of course a more lethal and contagious variant could emerge. Viruses mutate in completely unpredictable ways, and naturally, the variants that are most efficient at spreading are the ones that take hold. In my opinion, the absolute worst-case scenario would be a strain that is highly deadly but moves slowly—something that spreads silently through the population and only starts triggering symptoms after a significant amount of time has passed. That’s when you really get hit.

Japan is the light at the end of the tunnel here. Over there, the virus essentially mutated itself into extinction.