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

Hope all works out OK, if we get a positive lateral flow we have to take a PCR to confirm.

So is covid is no longer a thing?

As went shopping in Tottenham Hale and lots of people without masks or masks covering the chin, sanitiser no longer easily accessible and no distancing. Even with the floor distancing marked.

Thanks both. Headed to test centre tomorrow morning for pcr.

Here's hoping it's negative and you have picked up something else.

Yes, but no one answered. They were all busy spending their test windfalls.

PCR confirms! Not much to complain about though really so have to be grateful. Feel crap but manageable.

Seems pretty clear to me that it will be from the gym. Low levels of mask usage and cleaning when I was there and symptoms popped up five days after going.

Take care out there folks x

Have you told the gym? They could maybe let others who were there at the time know.

Yep have done, tried to be as thorough as possible in contacting places and people. Zero faith that the T&T system would be doing it's job.

Heard today it can be 72 hours after hearing a positive test result before T&T will get to you! How much spreading can your contacts do in 3 days?! Ridiculous.

How much spreading can your contacts do in 3 days?!

Almost certainly none. The incubation period is around 5-6 days for Covid-19, it would be very rare for someone to become infectious (to the point of being able to spread it themselves) after just 3 days from initial contact with the virus.

(Of course, you need to measure the time since the contact you made when you were likely positive, not the time since the positive test, and the former is likely to be 1-2 days longer given normal test turnarounds.)

You're right, it seems okay. I guess I'm just feeling a bit of anxiety about it and want to know that anyone I can't personally inform is told ASAP. 3 days just feels so long.

Well it's two days from here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

For those who can't be arsed to follow the link and read
People who have COVID-19 can infect others from around 2 days before symptoms start, and for up to 10 days after. They can pass the infection to others, even if they have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, which is why they must stay at home.

Since restrictions are de facto gone now, can't help but think how much spreading an asymptomatic me could have done. 3rd wave let's go?

7-day average case numbers have been sat around the 2000 mark for many weeks. In the last 10 days it has risen to ~3000. Could well be the start of the next wave. My question at this point is who is now getting it (age/demographic/area), where they’re getting it from and which variant.

some good information here from CEO of hospital providers
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1398871050931290112.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/28/covid-uk-coronavirus-cases-deaths-and-vaccinations-today

Some good info here, including a case-rate by age group chart

Always forget about the Graun breakdown!

Ok, that’s quite telling.

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Yes, the dominant variant now (B.1.617.2) seems to be more transmissible but causes fewer hospitalisations (percentage wise) than most of the other variants.

It's no surprise that it's increasing fastest in the cohorts that have lowest vaccination coverage.

A highly transmissible but weak (in terms of damage it causes) variant of the virus is far from the worst possibility right now, especially given where we are with the vaccinations.

Spread faster on those who are not vaccinated yet.

Make sense to wait a couple of weeks after the 21st to ensure enough vaccinated population.

Where have you read that B.1.617.2 causes fewer hospitalisations?

Any recommendations for travel insurance providers that cover for covid-related eventualities? Heading to Portugal at the end of next week.

when are they gna drop the vaccine ages again?

First google for B.1.617.2:-

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01390-4

There's no direct quote but the article points to that, the closest quote is:-

"
Reassuringly, no mutation in any of the B.1.617 variant subtypes is associated with increased disease severity, Tang says.
"

I'm past 28 days from my first shot, so according to the original protocol could have the second one. I understand that you get greater protection with a longer gap between shots, but the new variant seems to make the overall increase in immunity from having the second shot worth having earlier.

Should I/could I put myself down on the "spare vaccine" list at my local jab-a-torium?

I'd say yes. I'm going to I think.

Mrs Hammer did three LFD tests today, 1 positive, 1 negative and then another positive... wtf is going on there and do I need to self isolate?!
Coincidentally I did one at work too and was negative.

We’ve also both had first dose of Pfizer vaccine (12 days ago).

do I need to self isolate?!

Yes. Arrange a PCR test for Mrs Hammer and self isolate until the result comes through.