Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Grey Fox]

Canada has bought or reserve so many doses of vaccines that I think we'll start vaccinating the 3rd world before too long.

[The Larch]

To be noted that the initial article I saw only quoted 70% efficacy, as the 90% is achieved tinkering with the dossage, apparently. It also seems to be much cheaper and easier to store and transport than the other two:

Yeah - I don't think it needs the very cold storage like the Pfizer one and, as you say, is much cheaper. I hadn't realised but apparently this vaccine is really important because it makes up the bulk of orders by low and middle income countries. For richer countries it's great that we've now got three viable sounding candidates, for everyone else this is great news.

Yeah, it's cheaper to manufacture and easier to transport because it's basically an evolution on traditional vaccices, based on controlled dosages of atenuated existing viruses (virii?), rather than the innovative mRNA vaccines that Pfizer and Moderna developed. So yeah, this one is much more useful for poorer countries than the expensive and difficult to handle ones.

[The Larch]

In different news, it seems that funeral services for high ranking priests are super spreader events in the Balkans:

Bishop who led Patriarch's funeral service tests positive for coronavirus

The bishop who led the funeral service for the late Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Serbian state TV (RTS) said on Monday.

Krusevac Bishop David has been infected and hospitalized at the Dragisa Misovic hospital in Belgrade, the RTS said and added that the Bishop was tested after Sunday's funeral service in the St Sava cathedral.

Archbishop Irinej died of coronavirus-related ailments two weeks after he was hospitalized in one of Belgrade's military hospitals. He is thought to have been infected while leading a funeral service for the Montenegro Littoral Bishop Amfilohije who also died of coronavirus-related ailments. The church and authorities have been criticized for not implementing prevention measures during both funeral services. The bodies of both Patriarch Irinej and Bishop Amfilohije were in open caskets, the only difference being that the patriarch's body was covered by a pane of glass. The faithful were allowed to approach the caskets and kiss the robes and were given communion by priests using the same metal spoon. Most of the priests at both funerals did not wear masks.

[Richard Hakluyt]

A domestic fridge is good enough apparently. Great news for people in poor or remote areas.

[Sheilbh]

On Christmas it sounds like the four nations are negotiating a UK-wide approach which is some of the first sensible news I've heard in this country in a long time. Apparently the likely approach is going to be only 3 household groups allowed to mix, in a period of 4-5 days.

[garbon]

On Christmas it sounds like the four nations are negotiating a UK-wide approach which is some of the first sensible news I've heard in this country in a long time. Apparently the likely approach is going to be only 3 household groups allowed to mix, in a period of 4-5 days.

I'm not sure what there is to take heart on them working together on something the UK shouldn't be doing.

[celedhring]

The Catalan government has started to ease the lockdown measures starting today. Bars reopen with limited hours and occupancy, same with gyms, concert halls, theaters, etc... I personally think it's too early, infection numbers are trending really well but they still remain at a high level. T

[Sheilbh]

I'm not sure what there is to take heart on them working together on something the UK shouldn't be doing.

Maybe. I'm not sure.

But regardless it makes a lot more sense if this is the same approach across all the nations because people will travel between them far more than normal.

[garbon]

I'm not sure what there is to take heart on them working together on something the UK shouldn't be doing.

Maybe. I'm not sure.

But regardless it makes a lot more sense if this is the same approach across all the nations because people will travel between them far more than normal.

Perhaps I'm less forgiving as to me that should be a given as a bare minimum.

[Maladict]

Here the government has started backtracking on vague promises of lifting restriction during the holidays. I guess they're going to wait and see what happens in the US over Thanksgiving, but I can't see them banning Christmas dinners in small groups. The fireworks ban already has enough people out on the streets causing trouble.

[Sheilbh]

Here the government has started backtracking on vague promises of lifting restriction during the holidays. I guess they're going to wait and see what happens in the US over Thanksgiving, but I can't see them banning Christmas dinners in small groups. The fireworks ban already has enough people out on the streets causing trouble.

The talk here is up to three households mixing for a period of 4-5 days.

[Tamas]

After consistently struggling in ridiculously busy weekend traffic and seeing choke full supermarket parking lots since the supposed England lockdown has started, I am convinced that allowing any sort of Christmas mixing will inevitably result in very packed hospitals in January/February. Because the mixing rules will be unenforcable, and only a marginal number of people will care to keep to them.

[Sheilbh]

After consistently struggling in ridiculously busy weekend traffic and seeing choke full supermarket parking lots since the supposed England lockdown has started, I am convinced that allowing any sort of Christmas mixing will inevitably result in very packed hospitals in January/February. Because the mixing rules will be unenforcable, and only a marginal number of people will care to keep to them.

But surely the same issue is there if you keep the current restrictions? They'll be unenforceable because only a marginal number of people will keep them.

Something I just saw on Twitter so I'm not sure how right it is - but apparently the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was doing weekly swans of all participants so this measures effectiveness with asymptomatic cases, while Pfizer and Moderna only tested symptomatic cases. I'd assume they all have similar effects on asymptomatic cases, but it's good to have it confirmed that it actually works against the secret spreaders rather than just people who have it badly.

[Legbiter]

Vaccines are looking very good. It's the next six months that'll be tough. Here we're on day 2 of only finding a handful of cases, all already quarantined. But the situation in Europe is bad, last week we had a plane land from Poland, half the passengers were positive for covid. 

[crazy canuck]

Canada has bought or reserve so many doses of vaccines that I think we'll start vaccinating the 3rd world before too long.

Yep, Alberta should be ok.