Chat about Novel Coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - COVID-19

Yes. Viruses have only very simple systems for error-checking RNA production. Or none at all. That means lots of transcription errors, which means a high mutation rate.

Faulty replication systems lead to the mutations in the genome.
Lead to different surface proteins/antigens.
It's the surface proteins that bind to cells (and do other things)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/surface-proteins

If the virus is recognised instantly by the host immune system as "intruder" it's packaged up and responded to. If it manages to hide away for a bit, it manages to replicate and cause damage.

Microorganisms have lots of really interesting strategies. A famous one is the malarial parasite Plasmodium (and other apicomplexa like Toxoplasma do this), where they encyst and stay hidden. And then when you're run down they have a tendency to reemerge and make you ill again.

Stuff like this
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC150674/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5898234/

Read up on macro viruses if you fancy a long read, they may be one of the key ancestors of modern cells.

Kurzgesagt on YouTube on the immune system is also super interesting.

We too are part virus. One virus is written into all mammals genes to enable pregnancy.

Still, I rather give covid19 a miss! And many other viruses too.

neigh?

50/50 I'd take that over slim to f- all

You can lead the professional standards section

Similar in effect to herpes simplex virus latency, although the mechanism is very different.

The problem with that is that the people who have been a problem, myself included, don't realise what they are doing. Their posts are in good faith.

This is why I feel that childishly telling people to fuck off, rather than engage them and help them understand what they are doing wrong, is basically just picking on somebody because they don't share the same insight that you have. Surely that's a problem in itself?

This is an internet discussion forum. If somebody posts something problematic, call them out and discuss it.

I respectfully disagree. If he has an ICU bed when he isn’t ‘sick enough’ then it stinks.

If he is really sick enough for an ICU bed then no.10 aren’t being straight about it- that also stinks.

People are bored at home of course they’re gonna speculate, it’s Boris off the telly.

That page looks like an attempt to get the curtain twitchers off the phone and onto a place where they’re not taking up anyone else’s time and can be easily ignored.

Would be great if they got taken through a really long winded reporting process of many many pages and then got Rick-rolled at the end of it.

OMG. We're in the USSR.

Ha

You're a bit of a know it all and taps nose wanna have the inside scoop type of internet personality. Is that ok?

Nah, you want it simple so they stay there reporting and not calling 999 to report builders at no 11 again.

Gove self-isolating now. (only because of family member with symptoms)

I hope you washed your hands before touching your face.

Without some of you guys saying that, I had no idea that was how I was coming across. So yes, that was very constructive.

He's an awful cunt, but he's the one in charge so will rightfully get preferential treatment, if expect this for anyone in charge, first to the bunkers in a war etc. the idea being that the person in charge surviving is a good thing for those he's in charge of overall, if not for one person who may need his bed. This person in charge being useless and actually bad for many people for other reasons is beside the point. As for privacy around his condition, I think part of this preferential treatment comes with less of that

Had to wash the salt off so it didn't get in my eyes

Something that has been going around in my head for a while and is not that easy to Google - are there any succesful vaccines for any forms of coronavirus? There is no vaccine for SARs, MERs, or coronaviruses that cause the common cold as far as I am aware.

In other news, it looks certain that I'll be covering a role at a London NHS trust from next week. Covering for illness.

When I said I'd be happy to be considered if the need arose I thought I'd love to contribute. Now, I'm feeling actually pretty scared. I have never been under any illusions that I am not a coward. I've been hoping that they won't need me. I want to help but I also don't want to get sick. Totally in awe of the clinicians selflessly handling patients.

The only person worth listening to in here is @dubtap, the rest of you are getting on my fucking tits...

This pandemic has been a real eye-opener in terms of who's the biggest wanker on LFGSS... So many new people to go on ignore!!