Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Zanza]

The UK has more new Covid-19 cases than France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined

As the UK was often about six weeks ahead of the continent during this pandemic, it does not look promising for winter... 

[Syt]

Austria had over 3700 new cases yesterday (mostly bumped up by schools - get tested Monday, results on Tuesday, in stats on Wednesday). It's the highest number since 1st December 2020.

The 7 day case numbers per 100k are under 100 for vaccinated people. The rates are highest for unvaccinated 12-17 year olds (close to 550), followed by 18-59 (over 350) and over 60s (close to 200).

Sorce for rate vax vs. unvax: https://www.ages.at/themen/krankheitserreger/coronavirus/

[celedhring]

Is there a reason for this new increases in some places? Some pesky variant-ness or just "respiratory illnesses really love winter" malarkey?

Over here we remain at the lowest levels since summer 2020 (and given how poor our testing was back then, I'm sure they are actually better).

[Sheilbh]

The UK does a lot of testing compared to other countries, which will still be a factor.

But the main reason seems to be waning vaccine effectiveness. There's no significant differences in the numbers in England (no restriction, no mask mandate, no vaccine passport) or Scotland and Wales (light restrictions, mask mandates, vaccine passports).

There's a lot more cases in the most vaccinated (and high risk) groups. Plus Israel started seeing this about five-six months after the second dose in June-July. We delayed second doses by three months, but we're now three months.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like any of the governments used the time to prep the booster shot campaign which is going very slowly and needs to speed up, a lot.

[Tamas]

The UK does a lot of testing compared to other countries, which will still be a factor.

But the main reason seems to be waning vaccine effectiveness. There's no significant differences in the numbers in England (no restriction, no mask mandate, no vaccine passport) or Scotland and Wales (light restrictions, mask mandates, vaccine passports).

There's a lot more cases in the most vaccinated (and high risk) groups. Plus Israel started seeing this about five-six months after the second dose in June-July. We delayed second doses by three months, but we're now three months.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like any of the governments used the time to prep the booster shot campaign which is going very slowly and needs to speed up, a lot.

That sounds rather depressing. But, it seems the rise in cases is quite well synched in several countries, whereas vaccinations weren't - surely that'd point to some other reason (like colder weather pushing people inside)?

[Sheilbh]

Oh yeah - sorry. I was thinking more of hospitalisation and deaths/cases in high risk groups.

I think weather, school, people back in work, on public transport, not avoiding crowded places (and I think the UK's gone back to work, socialising and public transport in a pretty big way).

[Tamas]

People told to book booster jab without waiting for invitation
In his interviews this morning Edward Argar, the health minister, also confirmed that people in England no longer needed to wait to be invited to get their booster coronavirus vaccine if the right amount of time had passed. He said:

We've made a change, which is it's not just about waiting to be invited.

If you get to the six months plus one week, go on the national booking system and book yourself in.

Is that for, like, everyone? I'll have 3 foreign trips before my 6 month expires though so my booster will be the actual virus, in all likelihood.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Frustratingly the current rules mean that I cannot book a booster till the 20th November; despite being 64 years old with high blood pressure. Given that there is no shortage of vaccine I think they are being overly pedantic about the timing of the access to a booster shot and risking additional hospitalisations and deaths unneccesarily. I think it means that some youngsters will not get their booster till spring which is rather stupid. Perhaps more importantly many middle-aged folk will not get their booster prior to the plague-pit that will be Christmas.

[Duque de Bragança]

Central Europe:

According to Milan Kundera 

[celedhring]

In my mind everything east of the iron curtain remains Eastern Europe. That leaves central europe a bit small, admittedly 

[The Larch]

In my mind everything east of the iron curtain remains Eastern Europe. That leaves central europe a bit small, admittedly 

Did you get bullied in Prague when you said that? 

[Berkut]

Uhhh, this is not complicated people.

Central Europe are the countries on the Twilight Struggle map that are in both Western and Eastern Europe.

So obviously that is Austria and Finland!

[Agelastus]

Oh yeah - sorry. I was thinking more of hospitalisation and deaths/cases in high risk groups.

I think weather, school, people back in work, on public transport, not avoiding crowded places (and I think the UK's gone back to work, socialising and public transport in a pretty big way).

Although numbers have gone up a lot locally half to three quarters of people on the buses are still wearing masks, which I am - despite the level of adherence to lockdown and other measures we had - still somewhat surprised by now that it is a voluntary measure. All age groups barring the obvious teenagers doing it as well.

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My double vaccinated boss has tested positive having dodged it through all the previous waves.

[Jacob]

I think the thing is that there are two sets of overlapping definitions, originating from the political and cultural realities of different time periods.

Eastern Europe vs Western Europe is basically who's on which side of the Iron Curtain.

Central Europe is a definition from when Germany (and Austria-Hungary) had a hard power sphere of influence in Europe (pre WWII), and includes the countries on the map Zanza shared (Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czechia, Slovenia, Slovakia).

Thus it's possible for a country to be in Central Europe (pre WWII definition and especially pre WWI) and in Eastern Europe or Western Europe (Iron Curtain definition) at the same time. It is, of course, also possible for a country to be in Eastern Europe or Western Europe by both definitions.

[mongers]

Oh yeah - sorry. I was thinking more of hospitalisation and deaths/cases in high risk groups.

I think weather, school, people back in work, on public transport, not avoiding crowded places (and I think the UK's gone back to work, socialising and public transport in a pretty big way).

Although numbers have gone up a lot locally half to three quarters of people on the buses are still wearing masks, which I am - despite the level of adherence to lockdown and other measures we had - still somewhat surprised by now that it is a voluntary measure. All age groups barring the obvious teenagers doing it as well.

----------------------

My double vaccinated boss has tested positive having dodged it through all the previous waves.

It's noticably worse here, on the train to Exeter last week I was only one of two in the whole carriage, on the way back I was the sole wearer, so I gave up and 'joined the club', not a whole rational response my part.
 

I'm slightly dreading this weekend's train journey down there, but needs must.