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
That he was vaccinated, got only mild symptoms, and is already recovering is encouraging.
So we have another new variant running around. Because, just like last year, some people decided to travel overseas and back again without taking the proper precautions. You'd think we'd learn...
It seems Omicron follows the trend of a disease becoming more easily transmitted, but less lethal in the process. At least to people with the vaccine.
It...would honestly make me wonder a little if it was incredibly mild to the vaccinated, but HOLY SHIT LETHAL to the unvaccinated.
It's a very well-established belief that viruses do this, but there's no solid evidence for that.
There are experts who research whether it does happen, but there's no direct evidence for it to date; they are relying on circumstantial evidence for now, but hope to establish more solid evidence in the future.
Yesterday, I was exposed to an iteration of the "COVID was invented just to steal our freedoms" conspiracy theory: the two most recent variants, "Delta" and "Omicron", just happen to spell "media control", and that can't be a coincidence.
Edited by Wyldchyld on Dec 2nd 2021 at 10:06:49 AM
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
Redmess
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
No its not. That means the virus can circumvent the immune system and reinfect people.
But he did. He was vaccinated, after all, and as our dear leaders have told us over and over, that means we are pretty much in the clear. Just wear a mask and bring your QR code, and watch your distance to other people, and you are free to go wherever you like.
The clearest evidence is how other coronaviruses are behaving, which is how we got the regular cold viruses.
Gotta admit, that anagram is very clever and kind of a freaky coincidence...
Edited by Redmess on Dec 2nd 2021 at 11:09:47 AM
Optimism is a duty.
Y'know, not gonna lie, that's actually kinda clever to spot.
Anka Aquila
That's a freaky coincidence, not going to lie.
But if of "media control" we are speaking, it will have to be addressed from the other end because good God just how much harm has misinformation brought across the world to this day?
Edited by raziel365 on Dec 2nd 2021 at 3:55:06 AM
Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, we should find the absolutes that tie us.
𐀀𐀩𐀯𐀂𐀰𐀅𐀡𐀄
Damn you Greek letters, how many things can you spell?
Secret Signature
Oh, bother.
Ah, the human tendency to see patterns where none exist.
Edited by M84 on Dec 3rd 2021 at 1:43:14 AM
Disgusted, but not surprised
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
You'd think that an insidious plot to control the world wouldn't spoil its plans with Batman-villain grade wordplay.
Oh, bother.
FFS, if you put "delta" and "omicron" in an online anagram generator you would get over 10,000 results. And that's only because the generator I used stopped at that number.
"Delta omicron" can also be an anagram for "condom retail" for example.
"Democrat Lion" is also one of the results, though I suspect that one would get Republican conspiracy nutters even more up in arms.
I do like "moronical ted" though, given Ted Cruz's bullshit.
Edited by M84 on Dec 3rd 2021 at 1:47:03 AM
Disgusted, but not surprised
I saw a similar post about how, since omicron is an anagram for "no crimo" and "crimbo" is apparently English slang for Christmas, the UK branch of antivaxxing/Q-nuts are saying that the War on Christmas has finally gone biological.
It's been fun.
Oh, bother.
There are so many damn words in the English language that you could find an anagram that fits one's pet conspiracy theory from any names.
Oh they still have monarchy. They've just moved all real decision making and authority to the Lion Parliament.
Edited by M84 on Dec 3rd 2021 at 2:21:48 AM
Disgusted, but not surprised
I'm always sort of amused these conspiracy wordplay shticks assume that the conspiracy is anglophone to a stupid extent for whatever reason. Their cute wordplays work in english and only in english. You'd think a global conspiracy would try for either something more universal (e.g latin) or something incredibly obscure for most people (e.g aramaic, which also gets bonus points for being easy to tie to anti-semitic conspiracies).
"All you Fascists bound to lose."
Redmess
I didn't realize it was that easy to find anagrams in English.
Huh, one anagram of coronavirus is... carnivorous. That can't be good! 
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/30/health/omicron-delta-variant-comparison/index.html
So it might be that after all of Omicron's hype, mutation development, and strong movement out of South Africa that it might just end up elbow dropped by the Delta Variant right when it seemed at a pinnacle.
Oh, bother.
That's not quite what the article's saying. It's just reminding us that Omicron might not be worse than Delta. And that we shouldn't forget that Delta is still a serious problem. It's not like Omicron being a thing means that Delta isn't a thing.
Disgusted, but not surprised
Redmess
The real question is, will Omicron be able to overtake Delta as the dominant variant?
Optimism is a duty.
Covid: Germany puts major restrictions on unvaccinated
Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel described the far-reaching measures as an act of "national solidarity".
Only those who have been vaccinated or recently recovered from Covid will be allowed in restaurants, cinemas, leisure facilities and many shops.
Vaccinations could be made mandatory by February, the chancellor added.
Germany's fourth wave of Covid is its most severe so far, with another 388 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours.
There is also growing concern about the spread of the Omicron variant, which EU health officials warn is likely to cause over half of all Covid cases in the next few months.
Mrs Merkel said hospitals were stretched to the point of patients having to be moved to different areas for treatment. "The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved."
"Given the situation, I think it is appropriate to adopt compulsory vaccination," she said, while making clear that this would have to be approved by parliament.
Her successor Olaf Scholz, who is expected to take over as chancellor next Wednesday, had already said he backed the move, which would come a few weeks later than a similar Austrian law. Berlin Mayor Michael Müller said the vast majority of Covid cases were down to unvaccinated people.
The new measures are not described as a lockdown on the unvaccinated, although outgoing Health Minister Jens Spahn spoke earlier of a "quasi lockdown".
Some German states already operate so-called 2G policies, and these will now become nationwide - 2G stands for genesen (recovered in the past six months) or geimpft (vaccinated).
Under the measures agreed by Germany's 16 states and federal leaders:
- Unvaccinated people will be limited to meetings with their own household and two other people
- The 2G rule will be enforced at restaurants and cultural venues and non-essential shops
- Clubs will shut in areas where 350 cases have been recorded per 100,000 people in the past seven days - the national rate is over 400
- Up to 30 million vaccinations will be carried out by Christmas - first, second or boosters
- Outdoor events, including Bundesliga football, will have limited crowds of 15,000 and 2G rules
- Fireworks on New Year's Eve will be banned
While vaccinations have been stepped up in Germany - with almost a million carried out on Wednesday alone - only 68.7% of the population has been vaccinated, a relatively low rate for Western Europe.
Seventy-nine cases of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been reported in 15 European countries so far, according to the EU's European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Most cases were linked to travel to African countries while others were linked to connecting flights between Africa and Europe. The ECDC does not cover the UK.
Redmess
Omicron is also an anagram of moronic. Man, this is the gift that keeps on giving.
Redmess
Someone on the Political Gabfest (Emily Bazelon) mentioned that the narrative of rich countries hoarding vaccines and not helping African countries like South Africa is a bit misleading, since South Africa has turned down vaccination shipments, and antivaxers are just as much a thing in Africa as they are in the West.
Which is a good point. It is easy and tempting to create the narrative that all this is the West's fault, especially from a postcolonial perspective, but the real world is more complicated than that, and third world countries are inflicting a lot of grief upon themselves, in much the same way as those Western countries are doing.
Optimism is a duty.
No, Africa has definitely been deprived of vaccines relative to the rest of the world.
Every other continent has about 60% or more of the population with at least one vaccine dose.
Africa’s a little over 10%. South Africa, despite its low vax rates, has one of the highest rates of vaccination on the continent. Many countries have almost none. And yes, both cost and supply have been extreme obstacles - Botswana contracted for Moderna vaccines at $30/dose, and Moderna turned around and sold them to someone else who could pay more. It’s ludicrous to look at the disparity in vaccination rates by country income group - only 6% of people in low-income countries, almost all of which are in Africa, have had their first dose - and say that income isn’t a driving factor.
The disparity is massive, and victim-blaming an entire continent won’t help. Saying otherwise is rich countries making excuses for persisting in making the situation worse.
Edited by Galadriel on Dec 3rd 2021 at 6:22:55 AM
Minnesota Man With Omicron Variant Attended Anime Convention, Officials Say
According to health officials, the man, a Minnesota resident, developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22 and was tested for COVID on Nov. 24. He reported traveling to New York City and attending the Anime NYC 2021 convention from Nov. 19-21 at the Javits Center.
The resident of Hennepin County in Minnesota had been vaccinated and has since recovered, health officials said.
Minnesota's health department said epidemiologists will continue to investigate alongside New York City and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.