New Covid variant. Discuss how effed we are!

They're seeing evidence of reinfections in South Africa where much of the population is unvaccinated but a substantial number have natural immunity from their 3rd COVID wave that peaked in July and was almost entirely caused by Delta. So this suggests that the antigenic landscape of Omicron vs Delta is vastly different- not just in the spike but also perhaps other non-spike proteins like N protein and RdRP. In Europe, the battle is really one where we will be able to see how the vaccines hold up against Omicron. Omicron has 32 mutations in the spike protein (17 in non-spike proteins; 50 total). Something like 68% of Europeans are vaccinated and the virus is being introduced into the middle of another surge in infections, almost all of them from the Delta variant.

So watching how the game plays out in SA vs Europe will tell us different things about how the new variant stacks up against Delta (transmissibility) as well as how it stacks up against natural vs. vaccine induced immunity.

Should be an interesting few months ahead. Grab your popcorn and get reading!

yes yes yes yes wrote:

yes yes yes yes wrote:

Will you please stop spamming this site with your lies?

This needs to stop.

Proof that Omicron infects unvaccinated people, directly contradicting the lies and misinformation being allowed to spread by the likes of Noyankee on this site, ad nauseum:

"Also on Friday, the Belgian government said an individual who had recently traveled from Egypt and was unvaccinated, tested positive for the variant, marking the first case in Europe."

link:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/26/health/omicron-variant-what-we-know/index.html

Is anyone else getting fed up with the spam campaign heaped on LRC?

Not tired of it. I like it when some guy rambles about Fauci creating the wuhan virus so he could get a book deal or whatever.

I'm most interested in learning if the antigenic distance between omicron vs delta is more pronounced with vaccine-induced immunity or natural infection driven immunity. Meaning, does targeted spike-directed only immunity (neutralizing antibodies) hold up as well as multi-viral protein immunity. My bet is on the latter with regard to infection prevention. I think from serious illness/hospitalization point of view, both should be adequate.

wuss alert No 1 wrote:

I'm most interested in learning if the antigenic distance between omicron vs delta is more pronounced with vaccine-induced immunity or natural infection driven immunity. Meaning, does targeted spike-directed only immunity (neutralizing antibodies) hold up as well as multi-viral protein immunity. My bet is on the latter with regard to infection prevention. I think from serious illness/hospitalization point of view, both should be adequate.

Why does it matter? You don't seriously engage with any evidence that doesn't confirm your spoon-fed priors, so it's never even going to be a discussion!

My boyfriend is seriously concerned about this new variant, but has little concern about going bareback on random dudes at our swinger parties.

HarambesBoyfriend wrote:

My boyfriend is seriously concerned about this new variant, but has little concern about going bareback on random dudes at our swinger parties.

I respect the BroJos have set up LRC as a safe-space for zoophilia. Very progressive.

2600 bro wrote:

HarambesBoyfriend wrote:

My boyfriend is seriously concerned about this new variant, but has little concern about going bareback on random dudes at our swinger parties.

I respect the BroJos have set up LRC as a safe-space for zoophilia. Very progressive.

I agree, sweetie.

2600 bro wrote:

wuss alert No 1 wrote:

I'm most interested in learning if the antigenic distance between omicron vs delta is more pronounced with vaccine-induced immunity or natural infection driven immunity. Meaning, does targeted spike-directed only immunity (neutralizing antibodies) hold up as well as multi-viral protein immunity. My bet is on the latter with regard to infection prevention. I think from serious illness/hospitalization point of view, both should be adequate.

Why does it matter? You don't seriously engage with any evidence that doesn't confirm your spoon-fed priors, so it's never even going to be a discussion!

Right back at 'cha. You're classic bad science.

The mutation map of the 5 Variants of Concern. Omicron (B.1.1.529) shares many key mutations of Alpha, Beta, Gamma & Delta, but a lot more added, very likely having been derived from an immunocompromised host with extensive in vivo evolution. Including the optimized furin cleavage site mutation that results in an enriched polybasic cleavage site, enabling cell-cell fusion and direct cell-cell transmission while evading humoral antibodies. Primary accounts suggest this variant is extremely highly transmissible as it has an Ro of 2 and has already been seen to spread stealthily between 2 non-rooming individuals in quarantine who had zero contact w one another but their cultured virus is identical (showing one infected the other) so it floated through the optimized ventilation system. Also they're seeing young healthy people being infected w the virus and getting serious disease. Rudo Mathivha, the head of the intensive care unit at Soweto’s Baragwanath Hospital, stated that a much younger population of patients in their 20s and 30s are being admitted to the hospital for moderate to severe disease, with some of these patients requiring intensive care

https://covariants.org/shared-mutations

Omicron is certainly worrisome and interesting...

I am curious if the prevalence in SA is a founder effect or representative of Delta-level infectiousness.

The next question is disease severity. Too early to know and irresponsible to rely on anecdote.

yes yes yes yes wrote:

sayyestonepotism wrote:

The more people are vaccinated the likelier a mutation that can resist becomes. ...

This is a blatant lie and Moderators should have it removed.

Sad that those who oppose vaccines need to stoop this low, but the fact that they do so only tells you how unsubstantiated their views are.

Your viewpoint is scary. Please read up on Orwell, Bradbury, etc.

The good news is that at least 44% of the US population (146.6 Million) have been infected with Covid as of early October, per the CDC.

https://www.wfla.com/news/no-vaccine-needed-for-those-whove-had-covid-19-cleveland-clinic-study-says/

All the insults and childish and offensive language you continue to throw around in all of your responses only confirms what most probably suspected about you all along. You are indeed several rungs down the evolutionary scale from homo habilis lol

GreatDane1 wrote:

All the insults and childish and offensive language you continue to throw around in all of your responses only confirms what most probably suspected about you all along. You are indeed several rungs down the evolutionary scale from homo habilis lol

Hey, "bugger off, you dirty sod" (name that movie for 50 points)

FWIW, it is highly doubtful that homo hablis even possessed the capacity for language, so your assertion is suspect at best.

But be that as it may, let us not get caught up in technicalities, shall we?

With no further adieu, please join in me in a cult classic from one of my favorite rock ensembles, none other than The Cramps (the band that gave you, 'Bend Over I'll Drive):

Haha ok point taken. Homo Habilis would have been very limited in language, let alone typing skills. Although if trained by a modern day human maybe he could have learned? 50pts for Hope and Glory? lol

Hope and Glory, loved that movie. You move on to our next round.

And really tired to be talking of covid, fwiw.

seattle prattle wrote:

really tired to be talking of covid, fwiw.

prove it

go even 48 hours. I'll be watching.

Possibly could be founder effect if delta was truly eradicated in that population after their 3rd wave (all delta) that happened in July without significant reintroduction which is hard to envision

Fauci responds to accusation from Cruz that he lied before Congress by referencing 1/6!

But he is a non political expert on epidemics, right?