Moderator notice: Please do not ask for medical advice in this forum!
- If you are interested in Crafting, maybe try ordering a craft kit online (something substantial that would take time would be best, like a Latch hook kit
(and crochet hook if you don’t have one), a potholder loom and cotton loops, or cross stitch kit), to work on.
- learn something physical, like an instrument, how to sew or knit, etc
- a lot of museums and zoos and the like are doing virtual tours or free online classes, so keep an eye out for that as well.
- do a giant puzzle
- Join an online bookclub
- Take an online class
While the outbreak started around New Year's Day (12/31), it's picking up steam around the Asia-Pacific region especially since Mainland Chinese people tend to travel a lot.
For reference, the BNO Newsroom twitter has a special feed for any info on the coronavirus:
https://twitter.com/bnodesk?lang=en
The WHO has page about COVID-19 and any other concerns people may have. I suggest peeps go to the Q&A page to check for official details.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Edited by nombretomado on Jun 3rd 2020 at 3:21:48 AM
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210306/p2a/00m/0na/018000c
Cluster detected at Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau detention center at Minato ward.
Doesn't help that the Immigration Services Agency (and its predecessor, the Immigration Bureau) is notorious for crampy conditions when they detain illegal immigrants, which kind of contributes to the cluster spread, not to mention the indifference of some of the ISA/IB officers working there.
Edited by Ominae on Mar 8th 2021 at 5:10:28 AM
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
In the name of being honest
Chinese scientists identified 44 mammal species susceptible to COVID-19. All of these species have ACE2 proteins that could accommodate the virus' entry. Curiously enough, some species whose protein sequences are fairly similar to humans' (mainly New World primates like the marmoset, tufted capuchin and squirrel monkey) didn't appear to be susceptible to the virus, while other, non-primate species were. These non-susceptible species (except the koala) seem to have inhibiting amino acid residues in their ACE2 protein that, when replaced with the human equivalent, rendered them susceptible to the virus.
Edited by eagleoftheninth on Mar 8th 2021 at 6:17:39 AM
Echoing hymn of my fellow passerine | Art blog (under construction)
In the name of being honest
Pfizer-BioNTech Covid Shot Neutralizes Brazilian Strain in Lab.
In lab experiments, the shot demonstrated “roughly equivalent” levels of neutralizing activity against the Brazil and U.K. strains compared with a version of the virus from early last year. It also showed “robust but lower” activity against the South Africa variant, according to a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.
While the research needs to be validated with real-world data, it offers another reason for optimism that the Covid vaccines are generally performing well against variants of the virus.
The research was supported by Pfizer and BioNTech and performed by scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.
The study tested serum samples taken from people either two or four weeks after they had received their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. That was pitted against viruses that had been engineered to have mutations from the three virus lineages.
While vaccine developers including BioNTech are already working on new versions of their shots to combat mutant strains, the current generation of Covid shots are already showing some encouraging results against the variants.
The vaccine from AstraZeneca Plc provides protection against the Brazil variant, Reuters reported, citing the country’s Fiocruz biomedical institute.
The strain first found in South Africa, however, has at times been tougher to target. The country switched to using Johnson & Johnson shots last month for its initial inoculations after a small study showed the AstraZeneca shots had little impact on mild infections caused by the variant.
Professional Forum Ninja
I got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine yesterday. Had a fever last night and a very restless sleep, but I am starting to feel much better now.
You can only write so much in your forum signature. It's not fair that I want to write a piece of writing yet it will cut me off in the mid
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
So can you choose which vaccine you get or is it randomly given to you depending what they have at the vaccination site?
At least where I live, you are told ahead of time before you book an appointment what particular vaccine that particular site has. Implicitly you can choose your particular vaccine by which site you book with.
I got it from my workplace and they just had the one.
There is a lot to unpack w/r/t vaccine inequality, "choosing" vaccines and which demographics get the newer-technology ones at a faster rate.
Edited by Synchronicity on Mar 9th 2021 at 10:32:38 AM
Italy reached 100K deaths after exactly one year had passed from the start of the first true lockdown, March 8. How's that for symbolism? Especially since it seems we're back to square one.
I asked to be a volunteer at the vaccinations hub in my small town, mostly because I wanted to understand how it works. Of course my region is one of those where volunteers don't get the vaccine, since there are too few doses. Seems legit, our region is under the far-right Lega party and has been a shitshow since day one.
"Effective Altruism" is just another bunch of horsesh*t.
Redmess
Yeah, I don't get the impression most people will get a choice. You'll generally get whatever your doctor or health provider's institution has selected for you.
And that's not necessarily a problem. I think we can trust our doctors to pick a good vaccine, generally speaking.
That makes no sense to me, to be honest. Volunteers would be in most need of the vaccine.
Edited by Redmess on Mar 9th 2021 at 7:24:32 PM
Optimism is a duty.
Cynthia at the Beach
I didn't have a choice, when I chose the location, but I could have waited for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at a different location.
You can only write so much in your forum signature. It's not fair that I want to write a piece of writing yet it will cut me off in the mid
The place I work at, we can register for a vaccine via our pharmacy, which I did (I work for a midwestern grocery chain) and even better, the company is giving us a $100 incentive to get it. I mean I was gonna get it anyway, but a $100 extra is hella preem.
Doesn't the vaccine only cost 20$?
They’re charging money for it?!
That’s ridiculous and appalling.
Edited by Galadriel on Mar 9th 2021 at 6:29:04 AM
It's sickening but entirely unsurprising, that's what happens when for-profit entities are permitted to sell medicine. They nickel and dime people because why not? It's not like you can choose not to get heart medicine or a vaccine for the pandemic ravaging the country.
"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
I can't remember if they are or not, that's why I'm asking.
Edit. After doing some looking the vaccine should be free, insured or otherwise although some places may charge an administration fee.
Edited by Kaiseror on Mar 9th 2021 at 5:57:58 AM
I believe they're talking about the price per shot
◊; Pfizer's is indeed twenty bucks.
In the US the government has covered the actual cost of the vaccinations (or they are supposed to). I don't know anyone who paid more than a small administration fee (I didn't), but I wouldn't be surprised if someone found a way to turn a profit from it.
Edited by Synchronicity on Mar 9th 2021 at 5:55:05 AM
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
Politico: In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened
Key passage:
In late 2017, top health and science officials at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing attended a conference in the Chinese capital. There, they saw a presentation on a new study put out by a group of Chinese scientists, including several from the Wuhan lab, in conjunction with the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
These researchers, the American officials learned, had found a population of bats from caves in Yunnan province that gave them insight into how SARS coronaviruses originated and spread. The Chinese researchers boasted that they may have found the cave where the original SARS coronavirus originated.
But all the U.S. diplomats cared about was that these scientists had discovered three new viruses that had a unique characteristic: they contained a "spike protein" that was particularly good at grabbing on to a specific receptor in human lung cells known as an ACE 2 receptor. That means the viruses were potentially very dangerous for humans-and that these viruses were now in a lab with which they, the U.S. diplomats, were largely unfamiliar.
When they sat down with the scientists at the WIV, the American diplomats were shocked by what they heard. The Chinese researchers told them they didn't have enough properly trained technicians to safely operate their BSL-4 lab. The Wuhan scientists were asking for more support to get the lab up to top standards.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology had openly participated in gain-of-function research in partnership with U.S. universities and institutions. But the official told me the U.S. government had evidence that Chinese labs were performing gain-of-function research on a much larger scale than was publicly disclosed, meaning they were taking more risks in more labs than anyone outside China was aware of. This insight, in turn, fed into the lab-accident hypothesis in a new and troubling way.
Last time I checked the idea that Covid-19 originated from a lab was a conspiracy theory without any evidence backing it.
Unless actual evidence has been provided I don't see any rational reason to take this seriously.
"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
A procrastination in of itself
Yeah even with this evidence of the lab potentially studying the relevant type of COVID and not being run safely that still isn’t evidence of it being the cause of the outbreak.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Appears that AMLO's meeting with Biden to get more COVID-19 vaccines from America is turned down in the short term at least due to the need of getting most Americans with the vaccine. He's making contact with China again.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Anka Aquila
Even if the COVID outbreak did not begin from the Wuhan laboratory, the fact that they knew of this particular strand of coronavirus long before all of this started does increase the culpability of the PRC on allowing this virus to reach pandemic levels.
It’s one thing to not raise the alarm because you don’t know what you are dealing with, it’s another entirely different when you know what exactly is happening but refuse to acknowledge it to save face.
Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, maybe we should try to find the absolutes that tie us.
That's now a very real possibility, but that they were doing research isn't necessarily the same as realizing how dangerous it is. If they don't have enough researchers to properly maintain a BSL-4 lab I can't imagine them making much progress.
But I could be wrong <shrugs>
Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Mar 9th 2021 at 6:43:37 AM
"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
My mom's hoping to get a vaccine pretty soon.
Xbox/PlayStation: IndiGhost77 | on semi-hiatus