British covid: it's here

Quote: darkoz

I don't know your source but this strain has just shut down england

We were already on a shutdown trajectory anyway. This has simply become the dominant strain here. Though it's being referred to as The British Variant, that is not because it originated here, but because it was sequenced and identified here. From initial mutation to identification, probably took months. Months in which international travel will have taken it to every part of the world. It will probably be the global dominant strain already.
Transmissability is much increased R0 is much higher. Currently uncertain if it's more or less lethal, but more cases = more hospitalisations and more deaths, especially as health care systems get over-run.
Currently my local hospitals are pretty much closed to anything scheduled or elective. Cancer treatments and routine treatments are postponed indefinitely. Hospitals are not places we would want to go to except for absolute life or death situations.
To any who don't believe the crisis is real, I suggest you go and get a coffee at the vending machine or cafe at your local hospital.
General Practice doctors surgeries, here, are operating pretty much as video consultations only for most things.
I had to take elderly relative to her doctors a few times after fall injuries. The entire practice was one-in one-out with virtually empty waiting rooms, but queuing outside in the rain. It actually made a pleasant change compared to sitting in a busy waiting room with lots of sick people.
Our Accident and Emergency walk-in services now require you to ring ahead for a time slot, so as not to have internal queues.
Hospitals are critically low on admission beds and folks are getting triaged and treated in ambulances. Obviously that means ambulance response times are pretty grim, so don't have an accident or a heart attack.
Local pharmacies, medical centres and conference facilities are rapidly being converted to vaccination centres. Our major cities already have Nightingale Hospitals on standby. These are conference centres that have been equipped as overflow hospitals, earlier in the year.
ETA for elderly family member to get vaccine is about 21 days. ETA for me to get it is around May.

A certain established member here declined to wager that he would get the vaccine before me.

Quote: DRich

Has there been any reporting on how this new version is reacting to the vaccines on the market?

Yes. Initial indicators from Astra Zeneca is that their vaccine is likely to be equally effective. I understand that Phizer are optimistic too, though it's early days.

For the record, this new variant does not affect me any differently. I'm an anti-social social distanced Brit.
Masks here are almost universally accepted. I wear N95 or N99, and feel perfectly safe whenever indoors away from home.
I've avoided bar's and restaurants and barbers and gym since March and have found equally satisfying but different ways to live.
Looking forward to a brighter summer, which I won't waste like so many previous ones.

Quote: OnceDear

We were already on a shutdown trajectory anyway. This has simply become the dominant strain here. Though it's being referred to as The British Variant, that is not because it originated here, but because it was sequenced and identified here. From initial mutation to identification, probably took months. Months in which international travel will have taken it to every part of the world. It will probably be the global dominant strain already.
Transmissability is much increased R0 is much higher. Currently uncertain if it's more or less lethal, but more cases = more hospitalisations and more deaths, especially as health care systems get over-run.
Currently my local hospitals are pretty much closed to anything scheduled or elective. Cancer treatments and routine treatments are postponed indefinitely. Hospitals are not places we would want to go to except for absolute life or death situations.
To any who don't believe the crisis is real, I suggest you go and get a coffee at the vending machine or cafe at your local hospital.
General Practice doctors surgeries, here, are operating pretty much as video consultations only for most things.
I had to take elderly relative to her doctors a few times after fall injuries. The entire practice was one-in one-out with virtually empty waiting rooms, but queuing outside in the rain. It actually made a pleasant change compared to sitting in a busy waiting room with lots of sick people.
Our Accident and Emergency walk-in services now require you to ring ahead for a time slot, so as not to have internal queues.
Hospitals are critically low on admission beds and folks are getting triaged and treated in ambulances. Obviously that means ambulance response times are pretty grim, so don't have an accident or a heart attack.
Local pharmacies, medical centres and conference facilities are rapidly being converted to vaccination centres. Our major cities already have Nightingale Hospitals on standby. These are conference centres that have been equipped as overflow hospitals, earlier in the year.
ETA for elderly family member to get vaccine is about 21 days. ETA for me to get it is around May.

A certain established member here declined to wager that he would get the vaccine before me.

The variant strain may have originated with the minks (remember them?). That story was hot, then died. There was a reason it was a big deal. I suggest to get up to speed, one consult international interviews. The South Koreans are especially good at being straight with people.

Variants are ongoing. Trillion of copies of the virus, you get the occasional copy error. That's mutation.

Isn't there a site rule against calling it "British" covid?

Quote: AZDuffman

Isn't there a site rule against calling it "British" covid?

No, but I did find the term offensive.

Quote: OnceDear

No, but I did find the term offensive.

That was the point although not because I wanted to be offensive.

I was trying to demonstrate why calling it the Chinese flu or other similar names was offensive.

I accept that it is more transmissible. But, why is it more transmissible?

This is an important question. Do we know to social distance by 12 feet? Will face shields help? Can someone give us something more than a voodoo hand wave on why this is more transmissible?

Quote: gordonm888

I accept that it is more transmissible. But, why is it more transmissible?

This is an important question. Do we know to social distance by 12 feet? Will face shields help? Can someone give us something more than a voodoo hand wave on why this is more transmissible?

I googled that earlier. I don't think they know as yet. It could have a longer latency period where people who don't know they have it can spread it for longer periods of time. Or it could be for some other reason.

Then:

Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: Keyser

The location where the virus originated and it's use in describing the disease should not be offensive to anyone.

The virus originated in Wuhan China.

Agreed, What is the big deal giving it a descriptive name based on where it came from? What's next, we cannot say we are "Ordering Chinese" when we get takeaway?

And now:

Quote: AZDuffman

Isn't there a site rule against calling it "British" covid?