Covid-19 lockdown check-in

[Sheilbh]

Incidentally just inspired by that article - Chile has done astonishingly with its vaccine roll-out. No idea how or why Chile in particular but it's really striking and great news given how bad covid has been in Latin America.

[The Larch]

Incidentally just inspired by that article - Chile has done astonishingly with its vaccine roll-out. No idea how or why Chile in particular but it's really striking and great news given how bad covid has been in Latin America.

In many parameters Chile is one of the most functional Latin American countries, if not the most, so it's no wonder that they're doing well in their roll out.

[The Larch]

I mean, and don't get me wrong, there are issues with the different Chinese vaccines about their lack of public data regarding eficacy and safety (there's a reason why they haven't been approved yet by either EMA or FDA), but individual patients doing their own research is not the right way to do things.

You think it's wiser to trust the Hungarian health authorities?

I laugh at Tamas sometimes because of his tendency to view the entire world as a web of Kafkaesque duplicity, but there are times when that world view is warranted.

Ideally yes, but I get what you mean. I guess that it boils down to fears and expectations, as well as particular situations and possible alternatives.

Why would you reject the Chinese vaccine? In my mind there'd be two reasons, fear of harm and the vaccine not providing good enough results. In the first case, at this point these vaccines have been administered to millions of people, and possible side effects would be well known, so I don't think you can make a safety argument for rejecting it, at least with the available information. If you'd reject it because it's not good enough then it depends on what alternatives do you have. If you have no other alternative vaccine available, then you're better off still taking the Chinese one, as even 50% eficacy is better than anything. If you can wait it out for one with better %, then it's up to you, but it depends on your risk profile and how amenable the health system would be to this kind of cases.

Obviously if you can either have a Chinese vaccine or none, it's an easy choice. But when you can get AZ, Moderna, Pfizer instead if you wait, that also seems like an easy choice for me.

Depends on how long you have to wait and how urgent it's for one to get vaccinated. And imagine the mess this causes if everybody did the same.

I am fine with people taking either of the Chinese vaccines, having the population taken a 50% chance vaccine -I imagine- still yields considerable result in reducing hospitalisations and the spread of the vaccine. Way to go. But taking a chance of continuing to avoid catching it for a time to receive near-certain protection, instead of taking the 50% chance of receiving protection or not, seems like a good choice.

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

[Tamas]

Incidentally just inspired by that article - Chile has done astonishingly with its vaccine roll-out. No idea how or why Chile in particular but it's really striking and great news given how bad covid has been in Latin America.

Do they have any statistics on the practical effect of it on number of hospitalisations and such?

[Tamas]

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

That's just part of the problem though, we have no way of knowing. Why are the Chinese companies so secretive about their research and studies? What possible reason is there for it other than it being crap?

[Sheilbh]

In many parameters Chile is one of the most functional Latin American countries, if not the most, so it's no wonder that they're doing well in their roll out.

This is very true - but it is incredible. They only started their program at the start of February and have already overtaken the US and UK. I think they're already up to over 40% which is a hell of an achievement in six weeks.

Do they have any statistics on the practical effect of it on number of hospitalisations and such?

No idea - and it's probably too soon to tell given that they've got to 40% in 6 weeks and it takes 2-3 weeks for vaccines to be effective. From what I can see they got to 20% of the population in 4 weeks and then another 20% in the last two weeks. It's up there with Israel in terms of impressiveness but more because Chile is not a small country and they've not done it, so far as I'm aware, in close cooperation with any specific pharma company.

[The Larch]

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

That's just part of the problem though, we have no way of knowing. Why are the Chinese companies so secretive about their research and studies? What possible reason is there for it other than it being crap?

Hell if I know, but here's an area where Hungary could prove useful, as it's (AFAIK) the only EU country providing this vaccine, and should monitor closely the people being vaccinated with it in order to have first hand data about its eficacy.

[Tamas]

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

That's just part of the problem though, we have no way of knowing. Why are the Chinese companies so secretive about their research and studies? What possible reason is there for it other than it being crap?

Hell if I know, but here's an area where Hungary could prove useful, as it's (AFAIK) the only EU country providing this vaccine, and should monitor closely the people being vaccinated with it in order to have first hand data about its eficacy.

Yes I am sure China is also grateful for the human trials.

[The Larch]

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

That's just part of the problem though, we have no way of knowing. Why are the Chinese companies so secretive about their research and studies? What possible reason is there for it other than it being crap?

Hell if I know, but here's an area where Hungary could prove useful, as it's (AFAIK) the only EU country providing this vaccine, and should monitor closely the people being vaccinated with it in order to have first hand data about its eficacy.

Yes I am sure China is also grateful for the human trials.

[HVC]

In any case, this 50% is just us playing with numbers (it's the bare minimum for a vaccine to be approved by regulators, AFAIK), we don't know if that's the real eficacy of this vaccine. It might be 60%, or 70%, and even if it's in the lower range if it still keeps people out of hospitals and ICUs it already fulfills its duty.

That's just part of the problem though, we have no way of knowing. Why are the Chinese companies so secretive about their research and studies? What possible reason is there for it other than it being crap?

Hell if I know, but here's an area where Hungary could prove useful, as it's (AFAIK) the only EU country providing this vaccine, and should monitor closely the people being vaccinated with it in order to have first hand data about its eficacy.

Yes I am sure China is also grateful for the human trials.

Exactly. They have plenty of Uighurs to test their drugs on. Don't need Hungarians.

[Syt]

Friends spent 12 days in quarantine last month due to a Covid case at the younger daughter's Kindergarten.

They now spend another 12 days in quarantine this month, because first the older daughter's school was hit.

Or as they put it in their text: Double Jackpot! 24 days quarantine in 5 weeks!

[Grey Fox]

That's unlucky.

[Sheilbh]

Oh that's grim

I know schools re-opening has been a moment of great joy for my colleagues who've been homeschooling since Christmas.

[Syt]

Yeah. Several schools and kindergarten grups are currently closed because of Covid cases. About 16.67% of cases in Vienna (800-1000 per day in recent days) are from educational institutions.

[Grey Fox]

My step bro got all 4 of his children home because of covid-cases. Luckily, it was 1 at a time & the other children were allowed to go to school.