wuhan - coronavirus

[Melissa Louise]

55 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

16 cases here linked to a theatre production today.  I believe there was 50 attending. All vaxed. 

must admit I think I was in a bit of denial that it would actually happen. 

I'm sorry. It's awful, isn't it? After so long being relatively safe from it. 

[bookbard]

Feels like vaccine rates have stalled a bit in NSW. Still haven't hit 95% for first dose, and the 12-15 age group is only 81% for first dose. Two weeks left until school holidays. 

 

 

[Ausmumof3]

Many private schools here seem to be wrapping up next week.  They always finished a bit earlier but this is earlier than normal.  I wonder whether Covid is a factor in that - not wanting to deal with it before the break.

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

16 cases here linked to a theatre production today.  I believe there was 50 attending. All vaxed. 

must admit I think I was in a bit of denial that it would actually happen. 

But were they masked?  We are vaxxed but also mask 

[KSera]

7 hours ago, Corraleno said:

I really hope that Pfizer's pill (Paxlovid) gets approved quickly, since it's significantly more effective and also works in a totally different way that doesn't involve purposely causing genetic errors in viral replication.

It looks like if/when it's approved, there's the option to withdraw authorization for the Merck pill, since there will then be a better option. I'm hoping that could happen pretty fast. Other than the fact that Pfizer isn't going to have nearly enough of its pill initially, there doesn't otherwise seem to be good justification to use the Merck medication.

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

But were they masked?  We are vaxxed but also mask 

Mandatory masking indoors here, so assume so unless they had a medical exemption.

actually, they could have unmasked while eating potentially.  It was a school reunion which quite likely means food and drinks.  We also don’t have info on what variant yet so I guess there’s a vague change it was omicron.  Whichever it was whoever was there must have been at a highly infectious stage.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

Also at least some of the people were kind of high profile, so it’s possible that they were some of the earliest to get vax and have waning immunity as we’re just starting with boosters.

[RootAnn]

Local brick & mortar school usually runs just under 5% of students out each day for various illnesses. Since just before Thanksgiving break, that number went over 5%. It is now 6% and rising. This seems to be the second biggest amount of people getting it in my area since March 2020. First was a large group from my church spreading it everywhere.

[Roadrunner]

Correcting the Nigeria story. They reported they had Omicron in October, but are now saying it was Delta. So nothing good. 😞 

 I am very concerned that schools will be shut down again.                

[mommyoffive]

Omicron Update: Dec 2 - by Katelyn Jetelina (substack.com)

[Corraleno]

49 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Omicron Update: Dec 2 - by Katelyn Jetelina (substack.com)

So in South Africa  omicron cases are doubling every 3.5-5 days, it's outcompeting Delta, and it seems to be 3x more infectious than Delta in a population where an estimated 80+% have already had a previous infection.  "In other words, there seems to be in less in the way (like reduced immunity protection or easier/faster access into cells) for Omicron than for Delta." 

That is just horrifying. 

[Syllieann]

The link in YLE post says vaccines are still pretty effective (yay) but also unvaccinated are more likely to be severely ill (boo).

  https://m.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/covid-1st-data-about-vaccine-efficacy-against-omicron-expected-tuesday-687392

And also a case in fully vaccinated Minnesotan who traveled from NYC but never left the country...

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/02/minnesota-reports-second-us-omicron-covid-case-in-resident-who-traveled-to-nyc.html

Edited December 2, 2021 by Syllieann

[Ausmumof3]

Ouch.  Seeing Peter Hotez post this was not encouraging this morning.  

[Ausmumof3]

Aus News so far today

ATAGI recommended against changing the booster schedule so it’s still six months except for immune compromised (my parents will have to be very cautious for the next two months).

NSW back up over 300 cases today.

NSW has a 9th Omicron case - likely community acquired.

[Ausmumof3]

ABC: The latest case, a student at Regents Park Christian School in Western Sydney, has not been overseas and has no links to people who have travelled abroad.

Contact tracing and further investigations are underway but the Regents Park school has already been dismissed for the year.

@Melissa Louise

 

[Ausmumof3]

The Omicron infection numbers are slowly growing in NSW and last night authorities confirmed the state's eighth case was a passenger on a flight from Singapore to Sydney on November 28.

@Arcadia I think this is the case you mentioned?

[bookbard]

Covid in Papua New Guinea, Australia's closest neighbour, is a disaster - 18 yr old pregnant girls dying. Conspiracies closely entwined with pentecostalism. Australia has to do more - even on a pragmatic level, they're a short boat ride away! ‘The fear of this vaccine is real’: how Papua New Guinea’s Covid strategy went so wrong | Papua New Guinea | The Guardian

NSW has had a massive jump in cases overnight from 337 from 271. Locally I heard that there was a end of year party with 200 people, including someone who'd just arrived from the UK - who had covid. So that's 200 people isolating for the next 10 days or so. I wish they'd held out on the quarantine thing until after Christmas!

[Arcadia]

8 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

The Omicron infection numbers are slowly growing in NSW and last night authorities confirmed the state's eighth case was a passenger on a flight from Singapore to Sydney on November 28.

@Arcadia I think this is the case you mentioned?

There was two that were positive on the same flight. So would be NSW’s 7th & 8th case or 8th & 9th case. 

“MOH added that the New South Wales health ministry (NSW Health) confirmed that the two travellers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ211 on Sunday had tested positive for the Omicron variant.” https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/all-staff-on-sia-flight-from-spore-to-sydney-that-had-two-cases-of-omicron-covid-19-strain

[BeachGal]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Ouch.  Seeing Peter Hotez post this was not encouraging this morning.  

If you read through the tweet, Edward Nirenberg (biochemist blogging about Covid) responded to Peter Hotez that concerns about OAS are overstated. (Unfortunately, can’t change to a darker color on my phone.)
I appreciate the thoroughness, but I think this is really the wrong message for the public right now and IMO concerns about OAS are greatly overstated: http://perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org/content/11/5/a038786.long… Omicron still has a number of boost-able, crossreactive epitopes.

We need to wait until there is more reliable data about Omicron cases. That will take at least a few weeks.

 

[Ausmumof3]

South Africa current cases.  I’m imagining there may be more testing due to the current situation but also have heard their positivity rate is high. 

[Amira]

And now the US is requiring testing the day before a flight rather than three days before.  It’s nearly impossible to manage that where I live, although I imagine a few places will figure out a way to do that. I expect that it’ll cost over $200 USD per test to meet the requirement, and possibly more. But it’s a better option than bans.

[KSera]

37 minutes ago, Amira said:

And now the US is requiring testing the day before a flight rather than three days before.  It’s nearly impossible to manage that where I live, although I imagine a few places will figure out a way to do that. I expect that it’ll cost over $200 USD per test to meet the requirement, and possibly more. But it’s a better option than bans.

I got the idea that rapid tests were acceptable for this purpose. Are those hard to get there, too? I think same day testing will help a lot more than bans. 

[Amira]

1 hour ago, KSera said:

I got the idea that rapid tests were acceptable for this purpose. Are those hard to get there, too? I think same day testing will help a lot more than bans. 

Their availability is pretty limited here, and I’d guess it’s worse in other countries on the continent.  Since they’ll have to replace PCR tests for travel to the US, I’m sure they’ll become more common, but they’re not right now, which means travel to the US will be complicated for the next few weeks. But it’ll get sorted out.

I would love to have the at-home tests everyone keeps talking about. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Amira

[YaelAldrich]

56 minutes ago, KSera said:

I got the idea that rapid tests were acceptable for this purpose. Are those hard to get there, too? I think same day testing will help a lot more than bans. 

United is taking their version of rapid antigen tests that have a video call so a person can watch you test and verify the answers. It ain't cheap though. Just easier for people in countries without quick turnaround tests. 

I'm in Panama right now and just scheduled our tests 23 hours before our return flight. Just rapid tested everyone tonight - all negative. Will test again Saturday night and again a day and three days after we get back. 99%of people mask here in the city. Out in the sticks few to none are masking. Our tour guide said there is a very high vaccination status here. I'm glad we are getting in this vacation before it gets bad again.

[Melissa in Australia]

3 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

South Africa current cases.  I’m imagining there may be more testing due to the current situation but also have heard their positivity rate is high. 

Though they are still saying that people are having mostly mild cases, and even though hospitalisation are up, they are not having severe cases

also it is now the dominant strain in South Africa 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Melissa in Australia

[Eos]

2 hours ago, Amira said:

And now the US is requiring testing the day before a flight rather than three days before.  It’s nearly impossible to manage that where I live, although I imagine a few places will figure out a way to do that. I expect that it’ll cost over $200 USD per test to meet the requirement, and possibly more. But it’s a better option than bans.

Found it: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Edited December 3, 2021 by Eos

[Amira]

3 minutes ago, Eos said:

I'm watching for this, do you have a link?  Dd is coming home Sunday and has testing appointments both tomorrow and Saturday.  She made the Saturday one when I saw that the 1 day prior test might be required but then she made the Friday app't when she thought the Saturday results might not get back to her in time for Sunday's flight.  Thank you.

The restrictions go into effect on Monday, so she should be fine with the old requirements if she’s arriving on Sunday.  Here’s a CNN link.  https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/02/politics/testing-requirement-international-travel-us/index.html

Edited December 3, 2021 by Amira

[Eos]

Just now, Amira said:

The restrictions go into effect on Monday, so she should be fine with the old requirements.  I’ll get the link and add it here.  

We must have just crossed posts - if you can send the link you saw that would be great.

[Eos]

9 minutes ago, Amira said:

The restrictions go into effect on Monday, so she should be fine with the old requirements.  I’ll get the link and add it here.  

Got it - All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight  

Edited December 3, 2021 by Eos

[Eos]

8 minutes ago, Eos said:

Got it - All air passengers 2 years or older with a flight departing to the US from a foreign country at or after 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on December 6, 2021, are required show a negative COVID-19 viral test result taken no more than 1 day before travel, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, before they board their flight  

Right - Sunday is the 5th.  I'm posting from Insomnia-land and forgetting it's now Friday here in EST.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Eos

[Amira]

Hopefully it all works out.  It should, but since enforcement of these policies is entirely up to the airlines, it’s always nerve-wracking to fly internationally right now.  I’m glad she’s doing a backup test just in case they airline insists on it.

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Though they are still saying that people are having mostly mild cases, and even though hospitalisation are up, they are not having severe cases

also it is now the dominant strain in South Africa 

Who is saying that?  I have seen politicians say that but not epidemiologists etc.  I guess not anyone I would regard as a reliable not invested source.

ETA in case that sounded confrontational it’s not meant to be. I just genuinely want to know because I keep hearing the PM etc say that and I’m trying to figure out what the basis is for the claim.

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

2 more cases of Omicron in a school in NSW not travel-linked plus one in ACT. 

[Melissa in Australia]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Who is saying that?  I have seen politicians say that but not epidemiologists etc.  I guess not anyone I would regard as a reliable not invested source.

ETA in case that sounded confrontational it’s not meant to be. I just genuinely want to know because I keep hearing the PM etc say that and I’m trying to figure out what the basis is for the claim.

 

they interviewed the doctor from South Africa on the Vic  ABC radio. It was either yesterday or the day before sometime between 3 and 6 pm

 

I am hearing politicians saying it as well. 

 

there is also this https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-03/heard-about-omicron-but-have-no-idea-what-s-going-on-here-s-your/100671540 

But cautioning it is still "very early days", Professor Kelly says there is "no real evidence at the moment" the variant is more severe.

"They are seeing a rise in hospitalisations there [in South Africa]," he said. 

"But even [the] hospitalisations they are seeing with the Omicron variant are not any more severe than … in previous waves."

Edited December 3, 2021 by Melissa in Australia

[Melissa in Australia]

also this https://www.9news.com.au/national/omicron-coronavirus-update-nsw-sydney-case-regents-park-school-covid19-numbers/6f1bd491-da36-4f75-87bb-a47c446c9864

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said Omicron had not yet shown signs of being more severe than other variants.

"The positive side is we are not seeing what we saw in the other variants, we're not seeing people suddenly being rushed to hospital," he said.

"What we're seeing is people who are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms, generally."

[Melissa in Australia]

Maybe I just have wishful thinking, But I am really hoping that this variant is the one that everyone was hoping for. The one that is more transmittable and not as deadly. the one that will take over from the other strains and end the pandemic

[Laura Corin]

Good T cell response from boosters. Which might be important for Omicron 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02717-3/fulltext

[Ausmumof3]

3 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Maybe I just have wishful thinking, But I am really hoping that this variant is the one that everyone was hoping for. The one that is more transmittable and not as deadly. the one that will take over from the other strains and end the pandemic

That would be nice.  I think there’s nothing wrong with hoping for that provided it doesn’t become the basis for public policy before we know for sure.  It’s worrying me that it seems like we’re acting as if that’s the case without enough evidence.  But maybe I’ve just been living in high alert mode for too long now and have a bit of hyper vigilance going on.

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ministry-of-education-ordering-air-purifiers-co2-monitors-for-schools/RD5L2QKV4YH3ZIBKRMB5R2ZW3U/
 

New Zealand getting things right yet again! Can we all just be like New Zealand? 

[Dmmetler]

On a positive note, we got our new HVAC system with additional filtering, and I can feel a difference. I usually get smells from other rooms, and now I can't smell even the art room right across of mine. And since they were oil painting yesterday, usually I would have been able to do so. I'm not giving up my air purifiers in addition, but I'm thinking it was a good use for our CARES funds, especially since we are no longer allowed to require masking for our classes. 

[Bootsie]

12 hours ago, Amira said:

The restrictions go into effect on Monday, so she should be fine with the old requirements if she’s arriving on Sunday.  Here’s a CNN link.  https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/02/politics/testing-requirement-international-travel-us/index.html

Uggh.  DD is supposed to fly back from Europe in two weeks.  Testing is easy and plentiful where she is, but she must travel about 5 hours to Vienna for her departing flight to Toronto and then to the US.  If this means that she will need a test within 24 hours of departing on the flight from Toronto (and not Vienna) she may have difficulty getting a test because she will be in transit.

 

[regentrude]

11 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

Uggh.  DD is supposed to fly back from Europe in two weeks.  Testing is easy and plentiful where she is, but she must travel about 5 hours to Vienna for her departing flight to Toronto and then to the US.  If this means that she will need a test within 24 hours of departing on the flight from Toronto (and not Vienna) she may have difficulty getting a test because she will be in transit.

 

The rules for testing timelines used to always refer to the initial departure (some new sources incorrectly say " arrival" which is completely impossible for longer international flights with connections). I read the CDC details recently when I was traveling. Unless they changed this detail, the 1 day or 3 day was calendar days ( not 24/72 hours!) before departure of the first leg.

There are also provisions for flight delays. The info should be on the CDC website

ETA: Here it is:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html#aircraft

If your itinerary has you arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within 1 day before the departure of the first flight.

and

If the first flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is 24 hours or less past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 24 hours past the 1- day limit, then you will need to be retested.

If a connecting flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is less than 48 hours past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 48 hours past the 1-day limit, then you will need to be retested.

Edited December 3, 2021 by regentrude

[Bootsie]

3 minutes ago, regentrude said:

The rules for testing timelines used to always refer to the initial departure (some new sources incorrectly say " arrival" which is completely impossible for longer international flights with connections). I read the CDC details recently when I was traveling. Unless they changed this detail, the 1 day or 3 day was calendar days ( not 24/72 hours!) before departure of the first leg.

There are also provisions for flight delays. The info should be on the CDC website

ETA: Here it is:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html#aircraft

If your itinerary has you arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within 1 day before the departure of the first flight.

 

Thanks.  It looks as if Canada is requiring testing upon arrival, and I am not sure if that applies to those who are connecting through Toronto--and who knows what the situation will be in 2 week.

[Amira]

38 minutes ago, regentrude said:

The rules for testing timelines used to always refer to the initial departure (some new sources incorrectly say " arrival" which is completely impossible for longer international flights with connections). I read the CDC details recently when I was traveling. Unless they changed this detail, the 1 day or 3 day was calendar days ( not 24/72 hours!) before departure of the first leg.

There are also provisions for flight delays. The info should be on the CDC website

ETA: Here it is:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html#aircraft

If your itinerary has you arriving to the US via one or more connecting flights, your test can be taken within 1 day before the departure of the first flight.

and

If the first flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is 24 hours or less past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 24 hours past the 1- day limit, then you will need to be retested.

If a connecting flight in your trip is delayed past the 1-day limit of testing due to a situation outside of your control (e.g., delays because of severe weather or aircraft mechanical problem), and that delay is less than 48 hours past the 1-day limit for testing, you do not need to be retested. If the delay is more than 48 hours past the 1-day limit, then you will need to be retested.

This is fairly reasonable, which is nice.  I’ve had friends dealing with all of these different scenarios over the last 18 months so it’s nice to see we’ve learned something.  Plus the calendar day thing rather than the hours rule has been consistent with the US and it really is so much better.  I’ve had friends who were denied boarding on flights that were routed through Europe who had valid tests, but because of time zones, it looked like the test had expired since the airline didn’t take the time change into account.  If you have a calendar day rule, no one has to figure out how many hours ago the test was done in a different time zone.  Still, I’m glad I’m not trying to fly to the US this winter.

[regentrude]

2 minutes ago, Amira said:

This is fairly reasonable, which is nice.  

Yes, I thought so too. Also that they have allowance for a delay.

I was very nervous about flying back to the US last week,  since I had a Monday flight and wanted to find a weekend test site ( would still have been allowed 3 days then, but felt using Friday was cutting things too close)

Ironically,  nobody e er checked my  Covid test! They had a special airport station for US flights with passport and vaccination card check, but they didn't  want to look at my test result!

[Amira]

15 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Yes, I thought so too. Also that they have allowance for a delay.

I was very nervous about flying back to the US last week,  since I had a Monday flight and wanted to find a weekend test site ( would still have been allowed 3 days then, but felt using Friday was cutting things too close)

Ironically,  nobody e er checked my  Covid test! They had a special airport station for US flights with passport and vaccination card check, but they didn't  want to look at my test result!

You mean they didn’t check your test result before you boarded your flight to the US?  Or just that they didn’t check it after you arrived in the US? The US requires airlines to enforce testing restrictions before boarding so they usually don’t check your test on arrival in the US, but someone should be checking before you board. 

[Melissa Louise]

8 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ministry-of-education-ordering-air-purifiers-co2-monitors-for-schools/RD5L2QKV4YH3ZIBKRMB5R2ZW3U/
 

New Zealand getting things right yet again! Can we all just be like New Zealand? 

I'm pretty appalled at how much wilful blindness there is about Covid racing through schools, esp in VIctoria. 

I'm sitting back and thinking, hmmmm...novel virus....no idea of potential long term impacts....maybe better to mitigate against kids getting it till we know more? 

But this is not mainstream view, apparently. 

[wathe]

3 hours ago, Bootsie said:

Thanks.  It looks as if Canada is requiring testing upon arrival, and I am not sure if that applies to those who are connecting through Toronto--and who knows what the situation will be in 2 week.

Canadian requirements are changing rapidly. Recent CBC update  https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arrival-testing-regime-explainer-1.6272919.

[regentrude]

4 hours ago, Amira said:

You mean they didn’t check your test result before you boarded your flight to the US?  Or just that they didn’t check it after you arrived in the US? The US requires airlines to enforce testing restrictions before boarding so they usually don’t check your test on arrival in the US, but someone should be checking before you board. 

They did not check my test result before boarding the plane. They checked my vaccination card, and I was about to hand them the paper with my test result, but they just waved me off. (Perhaps if I hadn't been forthcoming and waved the paper in their face, they might have asked? Maybe they were assuming that only somebody who has a negative test within the timeframe would readily hand them the document?)

There were zero Covid related checks upon arrival in the US.

Edited December 3, 2021 by regentrude

[Ausmumof3]

We are holding borders open to NSW and Vic for now but people have to test and quarantine on arrival.  Apparently we already exported a case to QLD and we are now a hotspot in QLD so I guess that might mess with some plans.  Basically we’ve opened to NSW and Vic and the rest of Aus are shutting to us.  So stupid. 
 

The tone of press conferences is cautious and subject to change though so wouldn’t be surprised if things change again.  Some reports are that the health lady (who is good) has already asked twice to have the borders closed but so far been refused.