New Covid variant..

WhenIwasLittleBoy

Went away for a weeks break with the family. From Wednesday onwards we all felt awful. After a Covid test all four came back positive.
I along with many others had the 19 variant but the G.5.1, is awful and five times as bad. If you do get it you have my upmost sympathy 

AFKABartram

Sorry to hear, hope you all get well soon mate 

blackpool72

Take care Dean.
Hopefully catch up soon.

ME14addick

Unfortunately only those over 65 and the clinically extremely vulnerable, will got Covid and 'flu jabs this autumn  at a time when immunity is waning.

Hope you all feel better soon.

buckshee

Quick everyone, take another jab, stay indoors and don't touch anything!

mendonca

Keep well. How did you find out which variant you had?

ShootersHillGuru

New variant is still of Omicron lineage so as expected it’s more transmissible than previous and at this point it’s still unclear if its symptoms are any worse than before. Anecdotally it’s as expected causing a pretty nasty respiratory illness although not particularly of too much clinical concern. Covid is not going away and we just need to add it to the other seasonal diseases we are exposed to. Unless things develop in ways we’re not predicting then I’ll be far more concerned about seasonal influenza this winter.

ME14addick

I am still hearing that we still don't know enough about the long term effects of Covid. 

ElfsborgAddick

I blame the lack of face coverings.

ME14addick

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

bobmunro

ME14addick said:

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

That list of symptoms is pretty exhaustive - and most if not all would apply to the vast majority of viral respiratory infections, including the common cold (some versions of which are of course coronaviruses). 

The scientists will stay vigilant for any new viruses but we have to move on, and the overwhelming majority of the population already have.    

ShootersHillGuru

ME14addick said:

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

I’m sure that some people still have testing kits at home but the reality is that for the list of symptoms listed above we can’t all be testing. Most people won’t have testing kits at home now and the prospect of them returning without cost is zero. Most people with illnesses with the above symptoms won’t know whether they have Covid or a common cold. I think that’s actually how it should be. The fail safe is of course medical intervention should someone require it. Covid isn’t over but it’s passed into a routine community illness albeit with a wary eye by the scientific community. 

AFKABartram

ShootersHillGuru said:

ME14addick said:

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

I’m sure that some people still have testing kits at home but the reality is that for the list of symptoms listed above we can’t all be testing. Most people won’t have testing kits at home now and the prospect of them returning without cost is zero. Most people with illnesses with the above symptoms won’t know whether they have Covid or a common cold. I think that’s actually how it should be. The fail safe is of course medical intervention should someone require it. Covid isn’t over but it’s passed into a routine community illness albeit with a wary eye by the scientific community. 

I really struggle SHG with understanding what the right approach should be with it all. I get a bit sick and tired of people saying ‘we have to move on and get on with our lives’ because 99% of the population have for a long time now. 

But you say people won’t know the difference between Covid and a common cold, and that’s how it should be. But a friend of mine tested positive a fortnight ago and within a few days 4 of their work team were pretty ill.  Another friend has only just returned to work after months of respiratory problems. Another I know is still suffering 6 months on with a bad post-Covid rash. it’s great that so few people are dying now or critically ill like was happening at its peak, but none of those three instances I ever heard of from common cold or even flu, particularly the transmission or the range of long term impacts.

I don’t know what the right answer is, crack on with normal life but with encouraged testing if crossing with the symptoms (which I think you downplay above) and then a degree of isolation if positive to reduce transmission I suppose. 

MuttleyCAFC

I agree, we clearly have to crack on with normal life. If we feel we are coming down with something we need to test ourselves, especially if we might come into contact with the vulnerable. I suppose that applies to non covid illnesses. In some ways, if you feel rotten it is easier. One of the problems with Covid is that some people feel worse than others. I did catch it the Christmas before last and all I had was a slight runny nose for a day or two. I had that sympton and tested so I didn't see my vulnerable mother on Christmas day as planned which might not have been a good present for her.

ShootersHillGuru

AFKABartram said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

ME14addick said:

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

I’m sure that some people still have testing kits at home but the reality is that for the list of symptoms listed above we can’t all be testing. Most people won’t have testing kits at home now and the prospect of them returning without cost is zero. Most people with illnesses with the above symptoms won’t know whether they have Covid or a common cold. I think that’s actually how it should be. The fail safe is of course medical intervention should someone require it. Covid isn’t over but it’s passed into a routine community illness albeit with a wary eye by the scientific community. 

I really struggle SHG with understanding what the right approach should be with it all. I get a bit sick and tired of people saying ‘we have to move on and get on with our lives’ because 99% of the population have for a long time now. 

But you say people won’t know the difference between Covid and a common cold, and that’s how it should be. But a friend of mine tested positive a fortnight ago and within a few days 4 of their work team were pretty ill.  Another friend has only just returned to work after months of respiratory problems. Another I know is still suffering 6 months on with a bad post-Covid rash. it’s great that so few people are dying now or critically ill like was happening at its peak, but none of those three instances I ever heard of from common cold or even flu, particularly the transmission or the range of long term impacts.

I don’t know what the right answer is, crack on with normal life but with encouraged testing if crossing with the symptoms (which I think you downplay above) and then a degree of isolation if positive to reduce transmission I suppose. 

It’s tough. I think Covid has moved on not us moving on from it. Some people were saying we should just live our lives and get on with things far too early and I think both ME14 and I and a few others ploughed a lonely farrow for a while in saying caution was still required. The thing is, Covid is now an upper respiratory tract infection. Much less problematic than the early variants where Covid was deep seated in the lungs. We have three years of experience in treating it and new drugs to help fight the complications. I certainly expect some bouts of Covid are going to be a very unpleasant illness for some people. Worse than a bad case of a common cold but on the whole no more serious. As for testing. How ? No idea how many of us have remaining tests at home but there will be the majority (?) with no ability to test and perhaps a huge number that won’t test anyway. You can gauge the feeling by some of the snarky comments above. Long Covid is a concern and it will be literally years and years before even a misty picture emerges from the fog. We’ve all experienced the emergence of a completely new disease and we’re having to come to terms with it as a species. Thankfully it looks like the worst is well and truly over but we have to face the reality that we’ll be feeling the reverberations for generations.

MuttleyCAFC

We have a box left over which is there if needed but I think they should be available at Chemists at a small price. It probably doesn't make any difference to people who have Covid but it does make a difference to those who don't especially the vulnerable. If I was an employer, I wouldn't like somebody coming in and giving everybody in the workplace Covid.

I also believe that the best thing to happen in relation to Covid was Omicron. Yes the vaccines were good up to a point and I had all I was entitled to but the ideal was the virus to transform into something very contagious that didn't kill many people which swept through the population. We may have been very lucky it wasn't more deadly. We should protect those around us though, that is a duty of being part of society.

AFKABartram

Tests should be provided free from doctors surgeries and chemists imo. Reduced down to packs of 2 or 3 instead of 10. 

Surely efforts to restrict such a transmissible illness will have both an NHS and workforce productivity impact that would outweigh the cost? 

WHAddick

Check your testing kits if you have some from before. We had 2 due to expire in December but the testing liquid had evaporated already so were useless. 

ElfsborgAddick

bobmunro said:

ME14addick said:

Covid still has the potential to make people feel very unwell as the OP has stated. It will cause more disruption as people have time off work and school. I accept that mask wearing won't become the norm, however if people have symptoms, they should test before going into public places where they may pass on the infection to someone far less able to fight against infection.

Covid is still a new disease and even when the initial infection is mild, long term health problems can still occur as a result. There are hundreds of thousands in this country still suffering from Long Covid and many millions more around the world. With so many infections it is likely that many more cases of Long Covis will occur.

The World Health Organisation has said that countries should not let down their guard and that they shouldn't dismantle the systems they built for Covid. Unfortunately almist all the systems set up in this country have now been stopped.

I had some of the symptoms of Covid a couple of weeks ago, but I tested 3 times and was negative. The symptoms of the latest varaint are:

• a sore throat
• a runny nose
• a blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• a headache
• a cough with phlegm
• a hoarse voice
• muscle aches and pains
• an altered sense of smell

https://news.sky.com/story/new-covid-variant-spreading-across-uk-as-overall-cases-continue-to-rise-12933456

That list of symptoms is pretty exhaustive - and most if not all would apply to the vast majority of viral respiratory infections, including the common cold (some versions of which are of course coronaviruses). 

The scientists will stay vigilant for any new viruses but we have to move on, and the overwhelming majority of the population already have.    

If people are still wearing a face covering then they will probably continue for the rest of their lives.
I say this not as a flippant comment as I had my own health scare three years ago, not Covid related though.

ShootersHillGuru

AFKABartram said:

Tests should be provided free from doctors surgeries and chemists imo. Reduced down to packs of 2 or 3 instead of 10. 

Surely efforts to restrict such a transmissible illness will have both an NHS and workforce productivity impact that would outweigh the cost? 

Fwiw I completely agree but given that, let’s guess 50% of the population won’t bother or flat refuse to test and given the ease of transmission, can you justify it at all ? 

cantersaddick

The hospital data on this isnt great. Has raced up to 2000 in around a week.

ShootersHillGuru

About as much and as good information as we’re likely to get for now.

https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj.p1833

ME14addick

.  

killerandflash

WHAddick said:

Check your testing kits if you have some from before. We had 2 due to expire in December but the testing liquid had evaporated already so were useless. 

A lot of the ones on sale aren't as good as the ones sent out for free either, being less effective in picking up low levels of the virus.

ME14addick

ShootersHillGuru said:

AFKABartram said:

Tests should be provided free from doctors surgeries and chemists imo. Reduced down to packs of 2 or 3 instead of 10. 

Surely efforts to restrict such a transmissible illness will have both an NHS and workforce productivity impact that would outweigh the cost? 

Fwiw I completely agree but given that, let’s guess 50% of the population won’t bother or flat refuse to test and given the ease of transmission, can you justify it at all ? 

The problem is the messaging from Government is that Covid is 'over' and so many people don't realise that it still poses a significant problem even though fewer people are dying from it.

I have stopped wearing a mask, but I did test when I had symptoms that could have been Covid, as I didn't want to infect anyone else.  It was suggested at the height of the pandemic that in future, people would have a different approach to illness and would stay at home if they had an infectious illness. It hasn't turned out that way.

Covid is much more infectious than 'flu, which remains largely a winter illness, but Covid is an all year round illness and even at the height of summer we're seeing a lot of infections.

It's all very well the Health Security Agency saying that people should have their boosters, but they aren't yet available and the number of people who will qualify is very limited. There will be no option to purchase a vaccination against Covid, like you can with the flu jab.

Redskin

ME14addick said:

I am still hearing that we still don't know enough about the long term effects of Covid. 

That's because there is still no conclusive test for 'Long Covid'.

There are any number of epidemiologists/pathologists etc around the world that claim the symptoms assumed to be the result of 'Long Covid' could be adverse reactions to the 'vaccines'.
Cue, but the majority of scientists say that...etc,etc.
 People seem to ignore the fact that being the majority doesn't preclude it from being wrong. You only have to consider the effectiveness of the 'vaccines' or the impotent, ruinous effects of lockdowns to see that writ large in bold type.

And before anyone still clinging to the moth-eaten comfort blanket that claims, but the vaccines saved millions of lives, they should consider how the proof of that assertion was established. The fact is that it never was; it was the pandemics favourite conjectural chimera: modelling. Ergo: hypothetical, not proven. 

As others have already pointed out, Covid is now established as a disease that we will have to accomodate and there has been news in the last few days that Covid is back…again. This time it’s the Eris variant, named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, which is music to the ears of Big Pharma who will be breaking out the Bunsen Burners in anticipation of developing the 100 Days Mission vaccine - formerly known as At the Speed of Science! Jesus, people actually swallowed this propagandist doggrel...

But if the Greek goddess of strife and discord variant turns out to be little more than a bad cold, 200 scientists can busy themselves at the Government's high-security Porton Down laboratory complex in Wiltshire developing a vaccine for...Disease X

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-scientists-begin-work-on-defending-against-new-pandemic-caused-by-disease-x-12934956

Karim_myBagheri

I get paranoid but usually after the event.
I was sitting in a pub just last week chatting to someone (getting no where with her ffs) and noticed she had a little bit of a cough. Didn't think much about it at the time but then the next day I was like shit that could of been COVID. This sort of thinking has happened a fair few times ever since the start of this pandemic. It's not easy to live with and can be a constant worry. Maybe that's how a few on here who are extra concerned then others might think. I just reassure myself as best as I can and test when I have them or if I ever do have symptoms. 

Chizz

Redskin said:

ME14addick said:

I am still hearing that we still don't know enough about the long term effects of Covid. 

That's because there is still no conclusive test for 'Long Covid'.

There are any number of epidemiologists/pathologists etc around the world that claim the symptoms assumed to be the result of 'Long Covid' could be adverse reactions to the 'vaccines'.
Cue, but the majority of scientists say that...etc,etc.
 People seem to ignore the fact that being the majority doesn't preclude it from being wrong. You only have to consider the effectiveness of the 'vaccines' or the impotent, ruinous effects of lockdowns to see that writ large in bold type.

And before anyone still clinging to the moth-eaten comfort blanket that claims, but the vaccines saved millions of lives, they should consider how the proof of that assertion was established. The fact is that it never was; it was the pandemics favourite conjectural chimera: modelling. Ergo: hypothetical, not proven. 

As others have already pointed out, Covid is now established as a disease that we will have to accomodate and there has been news in the last few days that Covid is back…again. This time it’s the Eris variant, named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, which is music to the ears of Big Pharma who will be breaking out the Bunsen Burners in anticipation of developing the 100 Days Mission vaccine - formerly known as At the Speed of Science! Jesus, people actually swallowed this propagandist doggrel...

But if the Greek goddess of strife and discord variant turns out to be little more than a bad cold, 200 scientists can busy themselves at the Government's high-security Porton Down laboratory complex in Wiltshire developing a vaccine for...Disease X

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-scientists-begin-work-on-defending-against-new-pandemic-caused-by-disease-x-12934956

So, Long Covid is due to being vaccinated?  And the vaccine didn't prevent millions of deaths?  

OK... 

PrincessFiona

ShootersHillGuru said:

AFKABartram said:

Tests should be provided free from doctors surgeries and chemists imo. Reduced down to packs of 2 or 3 instead of 10. 

Surely efforts to restrict such a transmissible illness will have both an NHS and workforce productivity impact that would outweigh the cost? 

Fwiw I completely agree but given that, let’s guess 50% of the population won’t bother or flat refuse to test and given the ease of transmission, can you justify it at all ? 

Why would someone not test to prevent you passing it on? I wouldn't want to pass it on to anyone. Not everyone is vulnerable, but you could pass it on to someone who could pass it on to someone who was

killerandflash

Karim_myBagheri said:

I get paranoid but usually after the event.
I was sitting in a pub just last week chatting to someone (getting no where with her ffs) and noticed she had a little bit of a cough. Didn't think much about it at the time but then the next day I was like shit that could of been COVID. This sort of thinking has happened a fair few times ever since the start of this pandemic. It's not easy to live with and can be a constant worry. Maybe that's how a few on here who are extra concerned then others might think. I just reassure myself as best as I can and test when I have them or if I ever do have symptoms. 

But then if 5 years ago you had been with someone with a bad cough, you'd be thinking "FFS, I don't want to catch your cold or flu germs" so it's not a new reaction.

People are much more aware of not wanting viruses spread around, the person struggling to work with the flu or a really heavy cold, is less likely to be seen as a real trooper now...

ShootersHillGuru

Redskin said:

ME14addick said:

I am still hearing that we still don't know enough about the long term effects of Covid. 

That's because there is still no conclusive test for 'Long Covid'.

There are any number of epidemiologists/pathologists etc around the world that claim the symptoms assumed to be the result of 'Long Covid' could be adverse reactions to the 'vaccines'.
Cue, but the majority of scientists say that...etc,etc.
 People seem to ignore the fact that being the majority doesn't preclude it from being wrong. You only have to consider the effectiveness of the 'vaccines' or the impotent, ruinous effects of lockdowns to see that writ large in bold type.

And before anyone still clinging to the moth-eaten comfort blanket that claims, but the vaccines saved millions of lives, they should consider how the proof of that assertion was established. The fact is that it never was; it was the pandemics favourite conjectural chimera: modelling. Ergo: hypothetical, not proven. 

As others have already pointed out, Covid is now established as a disease that we will have to accomodate and there has been news in the last few days that Covid is back…again. This time it’s the Eris variant, named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, which is music to the ears of Big Pharma who will be breaking out the Bunsen Burners in anticipation of developing the 100 Days Mission vaccine - formerly known as At the Speed of Science! Jesus, people actually swallowed this propagandist doggrel...

But if the Greek goddess of strife and discord variant turns out to be little more than a bad cold, 200 scientists can busy themselves at the Government's high-security Porton Down laboratory complex in Wiltshire developing a vaccine for...Disease X

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-scientists-begin-work-on-defending-against-new-pandemic-caused-by-disease-x-12934956

There is no “conclusive test” for Long Covid because as far we can tell it has a different effect on everyone affected. Every physiological system can be affected so eg. One person might have respiratory symptoms and others it will be cardio vascular.  As for the rest of your post I won’t dignify it with a response.