Coronavirus COVID-19 Thread

Vavrik

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Kazakhstan: Launches vaccination status app which will bar people from entering pubs and other pubic spaces if they are unvaccinated.
It's often considered improper to enter pubic spaces without at least asking, and now they're adding an app to identify your vaccination status to the mix?
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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It's often considered improper to enter pubic spaces without at least asking, and now they're adding an app to identify your vaccination status to the mix?
Ah, grief. I'm not even going to go back and edit that. What happens in Kazakhstan stays in Kazakhstan.
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Friday 21st of May.

- World: 165,694,421 confirmed cases and 3,433,811 confirmed deaths.

- World: International Monetary Fund proposes $50 billion project to get 40% of the world vaccinated by the end of 2021 and 60% vaccinated by half way though 2022.

- India: Various states announce epidemic of mucormycosis "Black Fungus" infection which has a 50% mortality rate. Cases have increased massively, typically in those who have or have recently recovered from severe COVID-19 infection.

- India: Information Technology ministry (government agency) sends a letter to all social media tech companies asking them to pull all references to an 'India varient': “This is completely FALSE. There is no such variant of Covid-19 scientifically cited as such by the World Health Organisation [sic] (WHO). WHO has not associated the term ‘Indian Variant’ with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports,”

- US: Government partners with major dating platforms to include vaccine status to encourage people to take up the offered vaccinations.

- EU: Announces intention to build vaccine manufacturing hubs in Africa.

- EU: Medical regulator says anyone who had rare blood clotting during first dose of AZ vaccine should not receive the same vaccine for a second dose.

- UK: Infection rate in England rises for first time in 5 weeks as R rate goes back above 1.

- UK: Scotland to impose travel ban to places in England which have hot-spot outbreaks.

- UK: Manchester, and vaccines opened up to anyone over the age of 18 in the local area to attempt to head off potential rises due to variant cases.

- UK: New varient of COVID discovered in Yorkshire UK which was responsible for at least 49 cases. It is not believed to be any more or less serious than existing variants, but investigations are continuing.

- UK: Large scale study indicates COVID infection in pregnant women near end of term increases risk of premature and still births but risk of that is still relatively low.

- Isle Of Man: Review of the islands third wave, which happened after they removed restrictions and life had returned to close to normal, reveals breakdowns of communication and confusion over rules for ferry crew contributed to the virus returning. "We weren't always as joined-up as we should have been and perhaps inevitably, mistakes were made."

- France: Commits to sharing 30 million doses of various vaccines by the end of the year.

- Tanzania: Plans drawn up to vaccinate the residents of Zanzibar archipelago so they can observe Hajj pilgrimage. "We understand that last year it wasn't possible to travel because of Covid restrictions, but this year the Saudi government has announced that it will only allow those who have been vaccinated,"

- Italy: Government announces it will assist in the ReiThera biotech company with funding, booting hopes the country can have a domestically produced vaccine. It had reached phase 2 trials but needed public cash to get it into and through Phase 3.

- Portugal: Announces a system where the public can use their VAT (sales tax) on purchases at venues like restaurants, theatres and others, as credits to spend elsewhere to kick-start the sectors after lockdown.

- Kyrgyzstan: 1000 doses of Sputnik vaccine spoil as the fridge it was kept in was unplugged to charge a mobile phone.
 
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Vavrik

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Got my second dose today. Now to see how I fare this weekend.
For me it didn't do anything until the next day, then it was just a dull pain like when you've overworked it lifting your great uncle's piano. It lasted all day, but by the time I woke up the next morning it was gone. The pain, not my arm... or the piano...
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Saturday 22nd of May:

- World: 166,274,816 confirmed cases and 3,446,101 confirmed deaths.

- India: Announces outbreaks have stabilised in some states, but daily deaths remain at 4,000+

- Hydroxychloroquine: World expert in uncovering flaws in scientific studies, who identifies key failures in original study which said hydroxychloroquine was a treatment for COVID faces legal action from the writers of that original paper. Multiple trials have gone on to at best say it doesn't do anything and at worse makes COVID infections worse. The expert has suffered multiple Doxxing and other threatening behaviours from followers of the scientists who wrote the original paper. The bitter irony here is this expert also found errors and issues in some of the trials which went on to prove hydroxychloroquine doesn't do anything, too, showing they don't care about the subject of the science, they only care about the science.

- UK: Former chief aid to the Prime Minister Dominic Cummings, who during height of Lockdown drove 260 miles with two infected persons in the car to see out the infection in Durham, reveals in monster 40+ part tweet that, amongst other things, in contrary to government statements on the early part of their Pandemic planning that Herd Immunity was never the intention there are official government documents which state "Herd Immunity by September" on them, going on to accuse the media of failing in their scrutiny in not picking up on that detail. Mr Cummings is due to give evidence to a committee on Wednesday on the early handling of the pandemic.

- UK: Vaccine age limit lowered to those of 32 years old and above.

- Germany: Bans UK persons from entering the country as concerns remain over circulating variants.

- Vaccines: Chief Exec of AstraZeneca states UK had priority to the Oxford/AZ vaccine in deal with Oxford University in return for investment to develop of the treatment, and says the vaccine is only slightly less effective against B.1.617 (first seen in India) than it is against B.1.1.7 (first seen in Kent UK) which it is effective against.

- Mount Everest: An expert climbing guide estimates over 100 climbers and support staff have had COVID while at the mountain. Apparently it is the first attempt at getting a number of how large the outbreak there has been.

- Argentina: Begins new 9 day lockdown to tackle rising cases.

- Scotland: Digital COVID vaccination certificates found to be easily editable with computer software after download allowing data to be changed such as names, dates and vaccinated status.

- England: Expands sewage testing to cover two thirds of the population for a better view of where new variants are getting a foothold.

- Thailand: Finds first cases of B.1.351 (First seen in South Africa).
 
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Bambooza

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For me it didn't do anything until the next day, then it was just a dull pain like when you've overworked it lifting your great uncle's piano. It lasted all day, but by the time I woke up the next morning it was gone. The pain, not my arm... or the piano...
Lol. Would be interesting to wake up to find the piano and your arm gone.

But yes it was my experience the next day after the shot i just felt tired.
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Sunday 23rd of May:

- World: 166,827,347 confirmed cases and 3,456,630 confirmed deaths.

- India: Black Fungus cases rise to 9,000.

- India: To stretch vaccine supply, people who have recovered from COVID infection to have their jabs delayed for 3 months.

- Israel: To end all COVID restrictions following only 12 new cases reported yesterday.

- US: Investigates reports of heart inflammation in the young following vaccine administration.

- France: Death rate falls to lowest level for 7 months.

- UK: 60 million vaccine doses administered (roughly the population of the UK), 37.something million first doses and 22.something million second doses so the population has not been covered yet but getting there.

- UK: Government officials continue to deny Herd Immunity was ever part of the countries initial strategy following ex-advisors Twitterstream stating otherwise.

- UK: Reports suggest Government (Prime Ministers Office in particular) forced the removal of infections data on new variant transmission in schools that stated a worrying rate of 7.8% “There is a narrative that schools are safe but the data clearly shows this variant can and does spread in schools. Two weeks ago, the Singaporean health minister closed schools because of the risk of greater spread in children of this variant."
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Monday 24th of May:

- World: 166,984,785 confirmed cases and 3,466,670 confirmed deaths.

- India: Official death toll passes 300,000.

- India: Aviation Authority launch investigation as a couple breach COVID precautions by chartering an aircraft to get married on. They pack it with 160 guests (the limit in that area being 50), only being discovered because of it being shared be attendees on Social Media.

- Brazil: 20% of cities report vaccine shortages.

- Bahrain: Sees record high new daily deaths.

- Malaysia: Sees record high new daily deaths.

- Malta: Vaccination rate of at least one dose hits 70%, the number commonly accepted to be the requirement for Herd Immunity. “Today we have reached herd immunity. The vaccine is a weapon against the virus,”

- UK: Scotland, and a Glasgow vaccination centre reports 50% of attendees miss their jab appointments. Glasgow is the only area in Scotland not relaxing restrictions as cases remain buoyant.

- UK: Despite restrictions being lifted and non-essential shops being reopened, the highstreet reports footfall down 30% on pre-pandemic levels.

- UK: A number of schools announce short-term closures or exclude year groups to go home and self isolate as cases discovered.

- Nigeria: Names 90 travellers who arrived in the country in the last 14 days stating they are 'COVID test fugitives' having dodged the required testing for arrivals.0

- Isle Of Man: Eases boarder isolation rules for those coming from the UK or Channel Islands, being 48 hours and a negative test, with another test 6 days later to confirm clear of virus.

- China: Officials reject newspaper report of US intelligence that suggested several staff at a key virus lab had fallen ill shortly before the first recorded cases of people with COVID-19 like symptoms appeared in Wuhan.
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Tuesday 25th of May:

- World: 167,416,621 confirmed cases and 3,475,888 confirmed deaths.

- US: 50% of American adults fully vaccinated.

- EU: Leaders agree to donate 100 million vaccine doses to poorer countries.

- UK: Government sews confusion by implementing local travel restriction and gathering advice for 8 places in the UK hardest hit by B.1.617 but doesn't actually tell anyone, including the counsels running those local areas. It was on the .gov website since Friday but the country only found out this morning. Bolton had the advice changed on the 14th of May and only found out today. Those 8 places have now advised as far as they are aware there are no local lockdowns in place. Confusion still reins as it is pointed out it is "Guidance" not "Law".

- UK: Bolton Hospital experiences "Busiest day ever" with incoming COVID patents. Bolton is the UK's number 1 place for B.1.617 variant cases.

- UK: UK's second vaccinated person and first vaccinated male, Bill Shakespere, passes away at the age of 81 to non-covid related cause.

- Austria: Suspends flights from UK from 1st of June due to B.1.617 taking a foothold in Britain.

- US/Japan: Pressure to cancel Olympics increases as US issues travel warning to the country due to increased cases.

- Vaccines: Trial finds Moderna jab stops transmission in people aged 12 to 18.

- Vietnam: Strengthens restrictions.

- Poland: Launches lottery to win 1 million Zlotys for all who have been vaccinated to encourage uptake. Apparently 69% of the population have stated they want to be inoculated but there is an issue getting people to attend.
 
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Vavrik

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UK: Government sews confusion by implementing local travel restriction and gathering advice for 8 places in the UK hardest hit by B.1.617 but doesn't actually tell anyone, including the counsels running those local areas. It was on the .gov website since Friday but the country only found out this morning. Bolton had the advice changed on the 14th of May and only found out today. Those 8 places have now advised as far as they are aware there are no local lockdowns in place. Confusion still reins as it is pointed out it is "Guidance" not "Law".
Well that sounds normal. The right hand doesn't tell the left hand in the US or Canada either. Until someone in some news organization publishes a story.

- Poland: Launches lottery to win 1 million Zlotys for all who have been vaccinated to encourage uptake. Apparently 69% of the population have stated they want to be inoculated but there is an issue getting people to attend.
Welcome to the club Poland!
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Wednesday 26th of May:

- World: 167,951,168 confirmed cases and 3,488,242 confirmed deaths.

- UK: One year and one day to the day that ex-senior adviser to the Prime Minister, Dominic Cummings, held a press conference and admitted to breaching COVID regulations by driving 260 miles with two possibly three infected people across the country to Durham and Barnard Castle, attends a Parliamentary Inquiry and answers questions - dropping a bunch of revelations, clarifications and statements on the governments reaction to the COVID-19 crisis being, basically, a big old shitshow for a large part of the early response. "When the public needed us most the government failed". Senior government officials deny all claims including that the Prime Minister said in July: “Chaos is not bad. Chaos means that everyone has to look to me to see who’s in charge.”

- UK: Government admits communications caused confusion and clarifies that 8 areas advised not to travel and follow more restrictive behaviour do not have local lockdowns - the advice is advice, not law. Case levels continue to to be precarious in those areas.

- UK: Vaccinations opened up to those of the age of 30 and over.

- Pakistan: Opens up vaccination to people aged 19 and over.

- EU: Opens court case against AstraZeneca over delays to expected vaccine deliveries.

- AstraZeneca: Reaches agreement with a Japanese pharma company to begin vaccine production in Japan.

- Switzerland: Relaxes some restrictions including a working from home directive.

- Maldives: Strengthens restrictions after surge in cases.

- Taiwan: Sees record high new daily deaths.

- Germany: Sees lowest number of new cases for 7 months.

- Belgium: Limits J&J vaccine to those over the age of 41 following blood clotting death.

- Thailand: Modifies its vaccination strategy to focus on hot-spots and places where transmission is more likely to occur.

- Slovakia: Authorises Sputnik V vaccine, following Hungary to be only the second European country to do so.
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Thursday 27th of May:

- World: 168,520,476 confirmed cases and 3,501,002 confirmed deaths.

- World: Passes 3.5 million confirmed deaths.

- US: President Biden orders stronger intelligence investigation into media claims virus may have emerged from Wuhan lab after suggestions staff were ill prior to first case being detected. China accuses US of blame shifting. Global interest in the theory reignites with Facebook lifting bans on mentioning COVID being man-made or leaked from a lab.

- US: Ohio announces first winner of Vax-a-million Lottery, winning a million bucks. Participation is through accepting a vaccine, there are 4 more grand prizes which will be announced once each Wednesday for the next month and University scholarships up for grabs too. The Lottery is credited with rejuvenating vaccine takeup in the state.

- UK: New dominant variant takes its throne as B.1.617 (variant first discovered in India) now accounts for 50% to 75% of all new cases.

- UK: Multiple government officials deny former chief aids revelations on early pandemic response being a bit ropey/clueless etc.

- UK: Data suggests vaccines have broken the link between a rise in cases and a rise in hospitalisations.

- UK: Early data suggests infections are rising again following restriction easing and a potent variant getting a foothold in the country, with cases up 20% on last week.

- Northern Ireland: Anyone over the age of 18 able to apply for vaccination.

- EU: Demands a court order for AstraZeneca to hand over millions of doses of vaccine or face huge fine.

- Germany: Announces it will make vaccination available to children over the age of 12 by the end of August.

- Japan: Newspaper Asahi Shimbun, an Olympics sponsor, becomes the first sponsor to call for it to be postponed saying holding the event in a pandemic is beyond reason.

- Australia: Melbourne goes into 7 day lockdown as 26 cases discovered.

- India: Announced it is to scrap trials on well established vaccines already in use internationally to speed up approval.

- India: 20 people receive two different vaccines in error which gave them one AztraZeneca and one Covaxin dose. Mixing has not yet been allowed in India however no side effects have been reported and the recipients are healthy.

- Taiwan: Accuses China of interfering in international vaccine requisition efforts citing collapse of recent contract negotiations with a manufacturer.

- Russia: Begins vaccinating animals against COVID-19 with the animal specific Carnivak-Cov vaccine.

- Russia: Signs agreement with UNICEF to supply Sputnik V vaccine for 110 million people to the international childrens charity.

- Sweden: To relax restrictions as cases fall, but still remain higher than neighbours.
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Friday 28th of May:

- World: 169,090,409 confirmed cases and 3,513,687 confirmed deaths.

- India: Delhi to ease its way out of Lockdown.

- EU: Approves Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds.

- EU: European regulator says fatality rate from AZ vaccine rare blood clotting side effect is dropping but frequency of cases remains the same.

- UK: Approves Johnson and Johnson single dose vaccine.

- UK: Following relaxation of restrictions, COVID cases begin to climb again qith B.1.617 credited as the major contributor. June restriction relaxation thrown into doubt.

- UK: Reverend Tim Hatwell, one of the first people in the UK to suffer blood clotting side effect of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine says he would have it again: "I do consider myself fortunate, and despite what happened I wouldn't change what I've done. My wife has had the AstraZeneca vaccine without any problems and the risks involved are miniscule."

- Liberia: Spends $71,000 transporting 3 small boxes of CVO plus herbal remedy from Madagascar, with a public outcry for wasting official funds. CVO has not yet been proven to treat the virus despite several tests having occurred.

- Russia: Supreme court dismisses law suit from Gilead, makers of Remdisvir, which was issued as the Russian Government had ordered a Russian pharma company to make a Generic version of the drug called Remdeform last year against its patent.

- Kenya: To pause first doses as incoming shipment of vaccines earmarked for second doses.

- Japan: Extends state of emergency in Tokyo and surrounding area by 20 days.

- Italy: To open vaccination to anyone over the age of 16 from June 3rd.

- Netherlands: Announces plans to relax restrictions on museums and indoor dining.

EDIT - Super special Corner update: Catharsis Corner has now been operating in one form or another for exactly one year now, having come into existence on May 28th 2020 following the abandonment of the Status Update due to government officials driving 260 miles across the country while infected in Lockdown.
 
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Aramsolari

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Super special Corner update: Catharsis Corner has now been operating in one form or another for exactly one year now, having come into existence on May 28th 2020 following the abandonment of the Status Update due to government officials driving 260 miles across the country while infected in Lockdown.
Huzzah!
 

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EDIT - Super special Corner update: Catharsis Corner has now been operating in one form or another for exactly one year now, having come into existence on May 28th 2020 following the abandonment of the Status Update due to government officials driving 260 miles across the country while infected in Lockdown.
As Yogi Berra once (supposedly) said, "We'd like to thank the people who made this necessary!"
 

NaffNaffBobFace

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COVID Catharsis Corner - Reports from around the world from today, Saturday 29th of May:

- World: 169,598,291 confirmed cases and 3,525,849 confirmed deaths.

- Vietnam: State media announces the country has discovered a Hybrid Varient which is a mix of B.1.1.7 (first discovered in the UK) and B.1.617 (first discovered in India) “The characteristic of this strain is that it spreads quickly in the air. The concentration of virus in the throat fluid increases rapidly and spreads very strongly to the surrounding environment.”

- India: Sees lowest new confirmed daily cases for 45 days, at 173,790 continuing a downward trend.

- Australia: Melbourne outbreak climbs to 35 cases.

- France: Conducts scientifically monitored mass event trial in the form of a rock concert with 5000 attendees who had taken virus tests before and after the show, with no social distancing required.

- France: Sees fall in overall number of people being treated in hospital for COVID-19.

- Italy: Sees fall in daily cases and deaths.

- UK: Over half of 30 to 39 year olds have had at least one dose of vaccine in the last 14 days. 74% of adults have now had at least one dose, with 47% now having had both.

- Malaysia: Sees record high new daily cases.

- EU: Hundreds of protestors gathered in Brussles in front of Commission buildings to protest restrictions.

- Germany: Announces it will apply stricter controls on the applying of COVID tests after media reports of financial fraud at testing centres by charging the state for doing more tests than were actually administered.
 
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NaffNaffBobFace

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Its been an interesting journey getting to this point from when we first started this thread.

Hopefully this does not become an ongoing seasonal issue we have to deal with every year.
I have to keep saying to myself it isn't the end... it might be the beginning of the end, but it could also be the beginning of another beginning...

I have no doubt between the vaccines and whatever therapeutics come along in the fullness of time, COVID will one day be as serious as needing to stock up on Cold, Flu and COVID hot lemon drink. Won't mean what we have lived through was any less extraordinary though.
 
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