Lockdown diaries - COVID-19 matters!

[Silver]

Western Cape urged to ’stop stupid, dangerous Covid-19 testing strategy’ as infections soar
https://www.iol.co.za/news/covid19/...ons-soar-d611ebed-5f35-4eee-85d9-a0b16a37dc42
3 August 2021

"Cape Town – With the Western Cape currently the Covid-19 epicentre in the country, Good party secretary-general Brett Herron, a member of the Western Cape legislature, wants the province to ’’stop this stupid, dangerous strategy of not testing people under the age of 45 who don’t present symptoms’’.

’’It doesn’t help us in containing this transmission. It sounds like Trump, the more people you test, the more positive cases you get, so you don’t test. We need to know how many people are infected in our province and the people who are infected need to know they are infected.’’

The Western Cape Health Department’s Mark van der Heever said last month: “Testing is to ensure we detect confirmed cases in the most vulnerable and to act quickly. If (we are) testing everyone, we will end up with backlogs and not get to protect those vulnerable groups.”

Health officials only test for Covid-19 in people in the province who are symptomatic and 45 years and older; all persons who are symptomatic with co-morbidities; all persons who are symptomatic and in need of hospitalisation, healthcare workers and people living in congregate settings.

Herron’s response to IOL on Tuesday over the fears of creating a testing bottleneck was: ’’So they can hide the positive rate by suppressing the number of tests, but they can’t deny the pressure and strain on hospitals.

’’I heard Dr Cloete, the head of Health, on Friday afternoon on the radio say, ’if you happen to be injured this weekend or have any trauma, there is no space in critical care for you’. For that reason alone, the numbers are not accurate.

’’If they are suppressing the numbers so they can keep the economy open, if their focus is solely on the economy, they are actually not helping the economy because more and more people are getting sick.’’

President Cyril Ramaphosa and acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi are considering enforcing stricter lockdown restrictions in the Western Cape, but Premier Alan Winde's view is that with the province approaching its peak of infections, restrictions need to strike the right balance, with the growing unemployment rate being a major concern..."

Knowledge is power
But it has to be balanced with cost

 

[Jean claude Vaaldamme]

So I read more and more articles of people predicting we will probably wear masks in public spaces for the rest of our lives

 

[DavyH]

So I read more and more articles of people predicting we will probably wear masks in public spaces for the rest of our lives

I can't see it happening. Have a look at the mask opposition in the USA - 'FREEDOM!!!!!!'.

As if being slightly uncomfortable is somehow worse than showing the slightest amount of concern for one's fellow human.

 

[Grand Guru]

No comment.

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/...t-social-distance-to-half-a-metre-for-pupils/

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Grand Guru]

https://theconversation.com/covid-19-herd-immunity-its-not-going-to-happen-so-what-next-165471

COVID-19 herd immunity. It’s not going to happen, so what next?
Extract
The only sustainable solution is to learn to live with the virus.

This will require ensuring that we get the majority of individuals, especially adults, and particularly those at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 and dying, vaccinated as quickly as possible. In my view this could be achieved in South Africa with 20 million people vaccinated – not the 40 million target set by the government. But the 20 million would need to include 90% of people above the age of 60, and 90% of people above the age of 35 who have co-morbidities.

If South Africa achieved this milestone, it could get back to a relatively normal lifestyle even with the virus continuing to circulate and causing the occasional outbreak. It would also ensure a threshold that guaranteed its healthcare systems weren’t going to be overwhelmed, and that people were not going to die in large numbers.

We are simply going to have to become comfortable with the idea that SARS-CoV-2 is going to be like one of the numerous other viruses that circulate that cause respiratory illness each day. Usually mild infections, and less often a severe disease.

So people will, unfortunately, continue dying of COVID-19, but certainly not at the magnitude that’s been seen over the past 18 months. A major advance would be for COVID-19 to be no more severe than what is seen every influenza season (10,000 to 11,000 deaths) in South Africa.

The UK experience is where we should be heading. That is getting back to a relatively normal lifestyle, provided that we’ve got a adequate number of people vaccinated, and particularly people who are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.

The UK is currently close to 85% of adults that have already received at least a single dose of the vaccine. As a result they’re able to remove almost all restrictions.

The UK is seeing an increase in number of cases of the Delta variant. But they’ve seen very nominal changes when it comes to hospitalisation and death. The vast majority of people (97%) who still end up being hospitalised and dying of COVID-19 in the UK are those who decided not to be vaccinated.

 

[Feliks Karp]

So I read more and more articles of people predicting we will probably wear masks in public spaces for the rest of our lives

Considering the 1918 flu was the progenitor to every other flu pandemic ( a hundred years later), yes, this thing is probably here to stay, we will likely never have a SARS-COV-02 free world. We'll have to keep advancing our responses, and other technology, and people will have to get on board with vaccines and the like. They are working on several universal vaccines for influenza and SARS-COV, so I hope that gets done, then we'll get those jabs a few times a year and adapt.

 

[alex1501]

maybe this explains things a bit better? without official proof of having had the jabs the "unvaxxed" will have a really tough time in their daily life.

I can feel your pain.


What do you think, what stage is now predominant in our "modern" and "civilized" societies around a globe?

 

[Hooked]

You can now get a PCR test in two hours at OR Tambo – but it will cost you
https://www.businessinsider.co.za/or-tambo-now-has-2-hour-pcr-testing-on-site-2021-8
5 August 2021

"... The Next Pathology division of Next Biosciences this week launched a lab-in-a-box at the Intercontinental Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport hotel, just opposite the international arrivals hall.

There, says the company, it will have a nurse on duty between 06:00 and 22:00 every day to take swabs. Those samples are processed in the same conference room, with results by SMS and email two hours later.

Airline passengers who intend to cross borders are still advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours ahead of departure, though airlines will typically require proof of a negative test at check-in, rather than at boarding.

Many countries require a PCR test less than 48 hours old at the time of arrival

The service is designed for passengers with a connecting flight out of Johannesburg, or who are staying over ahead of transit, Next told Business Insider South Africa.

The company charges R850 for its routine PCR test, with a 24-hour turnaround.

The completely automated rapid test "is a much more expensive technology and therefore only really suitable for those people requiring rapid turnaround times," it said...

Tests must be pre-booked, via travel@nextpath.co.za or 011 697 2931."

 

[Grand Guru]

You can now get a PCR test in two hours at OR Tambo – but it will cost you
https://www.businessinsider.co.za/or-tambo-now-has-2-hour-pcr-testing-on-site-2021-8
5 August 2021

"... The Next Pathology division of Next Biosciences this week launched a lab-in-a-box at the Intercontinental Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport hotel, just opposite the international arrivals hall.

There, says the company, it will have a nurse on duty between 06:00 and 22:00 every day to take swabs. Those samples are processed in the same conference room, with results by SMS and email two hours later.

Airline passengers who intend to cross borders are still advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours ahead of departure, though airlines will typically require proof of a negative test at check-in, rather than at boarding.

Many countries require a PCR test less than 48 hours old at the time of arrival

The service is designed for passengers with a connecting flight out of Johannesburg, or who are staying over ahead of transit, Next told Business Insider South Africa.

The company charges R850 for its routine PCR test, with a 24-hour turnaround.

The completely automated rapid test "is a much more expensive technology and therefore only really suitable for those people requiring rapid turnaround times," it said...

Tests must be pre-booked, via travel@nextpath.co.za or 011 697 2931."

It’s available in some European airports for around 200 euros. So it’ll probably cost around 2 to 2.5k

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[ARYANTO]

Bad news about Covid-19 herd immunity in South Africa
''Peddling the concept of herd immunity creates a misconception that we are actually going to get to a stage where this virus is going to be eliminated. That’s unlikely to happen. It will continue circulating.''
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/scie...ty-in-south-africa.html?utm_source=newsletter

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Adephi]

 

[Paul33]

My mrs tested positive yesterday, a colleague at her office was sick. She’s ok so far with just a few symptoms and I have a few as well so I’m pretty sure I’ve got it as well now.

 

[Adephi]

My mrs tested positive yesterday, a colleague at her office was sick. She’s ok so far with just a few symptoms and I have a few as well so I’m pretty sure I’ve got it as well now.

All the best. Keep well. It's frightening how easy it is to pick it up.

Just relax and catch up on some Netflix. And follow dr's orders. Not much else you can do.

 

[Paul33]

Just relax and catch up on some Netflix

does a lord of the rings marathon count?

 

[Adephi]

does a lord of the rings marathon count?

Can't think of a better way. I watched the Loki series and I honestly feel like I wasted a big part of my quarantine.

 

[Paul33]

Can't think of a better way. I watched the Loki series and I honestly feel like I wasted a big part of my quarantine.

I’m halfway through the fellowship at the moment. Mini me is nagging to watch them all.

I might do a Star Wars marathon as well.

 

[Feliks Karp]

I’m halfway through the fellowship at the moment. Mini me is nagging to watch them all.

I might do a Star Wars marathon as well.

This is the way

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Grand Guru]

 

[Feliks Karp]

https://www.france24.com/en/france/...ment-coronavirus-health-pass-despite-protests

France expands locales requiring a Covid-19 'health pass'

"The health pass is generated in a QR code either by a full course of vaccinations, a recent negative virus test or a recovery from Covid-19."

So technically you don't have to have the vaccine, just be virus free, which is understandable.

https://time.com/6088861/marburg-virus/

Haven't heard from this one in a while