Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Tamas]

To add to all the shockingly unexpected news of this week, I am reading the Russian vaccine is facing major issues with mass production.

[Sheilbh]

This seems good and should always have been the case - there's been quite a lot of controversy around the government's models. The UK Office for Statistics Regulation (who knew?! Apparently they're the independent regulator of all official statistics) have issued new rules including  "where models are referred to publicly, particularly to inform significant policy decisions, the model outputs, methodologies and key assumptions should be published at the same time". As I say, it seems sensible that if you rely on it publicly then we should also have all the information.

[Josquius]

All public Guy Fawkes celebrations were cancelled due to corona. I have a feeling this may have been a mistake. Not sure how it is elsewhere but it sounds like Stalingrad here. Fireworks constantly going off from all directions

[Tamas]

All public Guy Fawkes celebrations were cancelled due to corona. I have a feeling this may have been a mistake. Not sure how it is elsewhere but it sounds like Stalingrad here. Fireworks constantly going off from all directions

People living across the street (in a fairly posh upper middle class house, too) made an absolute racket on Saturday. I think/hope they got drunk and wasted all their ammo because they have not been firing today yet.

[Syt]

Over 7000 cases today in Austria. Hospital capacities are starting to get strained a bit in Tyrol and Salzburg states.

[Sheilbh]

All public Guy Fawkes celebrations were cancelled due to corona. I have a feeling this may have been a mistake. Not sure how it is elsewhere but it sounds like Stalingrad here. Fireworks constantly going off from all directions

Oh yeah there's been fireworks going off all round me every night for days

I suppose no public firework displays means everyone with a garden/access to a space will do their own private one.

[garbon]

All public Guy Fawkes celebrations were cancelled due to corona. I have a feeling this may have been a mistake. Not sure how it is elsewhere but it sounds like Stalingrad here. Fireworks constantly going off from all directions

Oh yeah there's been fireworks going off all round me every night for days

I suppose no public firework displays means everyone with a garden/access to a space will do their own private one.

Yes about a week or so at this point.

[Syt]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/mutant-mink-coronavirus-in-denmark-sparks-plan-to-put-down-15-million-animals/2020/11/05/d8fd8c56-1f58-11eb-ad53-4c1fda49907d_story.html

Denmark to kill 15 million minks after coronavirus mutation spreads to humans

BERLIN — Denmark, one of the largest fur producers in the world, plans to kill every mink in the country to contain a coronavirus mutation that had begun spreading back to humans.

Although the virus mutates constantly, this variation prompted particular concern, according to scientists at Denmark's Statens Serum Institut, because 12 of the people infected showed less ability to produce antibodies, which could reduce the potential effectiveness of a vaccine.

The Danish government announced it would expand plans for a more limited cull and put down 15 million minks. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday it was a "heavy decision" but the situation required "resolute action."

Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said genomic analysis suggested nearly 400 human coronavirus cases in northern Denmark were related to the mink farms, about half of all cases. About 5 percent of all human infections in the region involve the new mutation, the Serum Institut estimated.

"As a government, we will do everything we can to ensure that the mutated infection is contained and does not spread further," Frederiksen said. "That's why — unfortunately — it's necessary to put down all minks in Denmark."

In a worst case scenario, there could be a new pandemic that starts all over again from Denmark, warned Kåre Mølbak, director of the Statens Serum Institut. Independent scientists, however, urged caution, as the institute has not yet publicly released details of the sequencing of the mutation.

Denmark has more than 1,000 mink farms that produce about 40 percent of the world's mink pelts, the majority of which are exported to China and Hong Kong. Minks at 207 farms have tested positive for coronavirus. Denmark plans to compensate mink farmers, but the government said it may be difficult for the industry to survive.

Even though the decision involves killing millions of animals, some welfare groups welcomed it as an opportunity to end to fur farms.

Coronavirus infections have already accelerated plans in the Netherlands to phase out the mink industry, with hundreds of thousands of animals euthanized after outbreaks there.

When the Netherlands began to kill animals in June, it said mink farms risked becoming a "virus reservoir," presenting a risk to both human and animal health. A September study by Dutch experts found it "very likely" that minks had passed coronavirus back to employees in the first proven case of animal-to-human transmission.

Spain also euthanized nearly 100,000 minks in July, citing concerns that they might be able to spread the virus back to people. There have also been reports of minks contracting the virus at farms in the United States, where thousands of older animals have succumbed to the virus.

But no other country has reported a mink-related mutation that could endanger vaccine efforts.

Concern about animals as vectors has been present since the earliest research into the novel coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control does not consider animals to play a signicant role in transmission, though minks have been identified as a possible exception.

Covid-19 is considered a "zoonotic" disease, meaning the virus that causes it would have originally come from an animal, possibly a bat. The first reported human cases were linked to a live-animal market in China.

[The Brain]

My cousin's friend's drinking buddy swears he saw a mink poison a well.

[The Brain]

Also: FUR SALE!!!1111

[Sheilbh]

Protests at Manchester university where some idiot (apparently the Vice-Chancellor) thought the best idea for lockdown would be to fence student hall of residents in. The fences have now been torn down:


Edit: Apparently students weren't even told this would be happening or given a reason. They were just fenced in overnight

[Tamas]

 

[Valmy]

Um fences don't really work on people or monkeys. They needed a giant monkey cage completely sealing in the residence halls. Made out of electrified titanium.

[Josquius]

If I were a student I'd have long since moved home by now. That's pretty horrid.

[HVC]

Um fences don't really work on people or monkeys. They needed a giant monkey cage completely sealing in the residence halls. Made out of electrified titanium.

You're over thinking. Just need to electrify the fence