# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2021 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [January 1, 2021, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428 "2021-01-01T08:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 153
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3104 "2021-11-26T21:36:43Z")
Then there’s also the question about whether having had OG or delta covid gives immunity to omicron. If the OG vaccines don’t do it, it’s quite possible that won’t either. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3105 "2021-11-26T23:27:33Z")
Oh, for crying out loud. This is really, really out of hand. > **[Oroville City Council votes to declare the city as a Constitutional Republic...](https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/local/oroville-city-council-votes-to-declare-the-city-as-a-constitutional-republic-city/article_756e2b79-7a9b-537a-9a23-16861bed1137.html)** > > OROVILLE, Calif. - The City of Oroville is getting national attention for a resolution they recently passed. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3106 "2021-11-27T00:04:51Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Oh, for crying out loud. This is really, really out of hand. I don’t disagree, but that story is 3 weeks old. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3107 "2021-11-27T03:14:52Z")
260,876,508 total cases 5,206,264 dead 235,679,163 recovered In the US: 49,050,408 total cases 799,137 dead 38,840,233 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 260,278,393 total cases > 5,198,879 dead > 235,244,309 recovered > > In the US: > > 48,999,737 total cases > 798,551 dead > 38,799,986 recovered 800k dead in the US tomorrow, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3108 "2021-11-27T03:38:17Z")
A bit of cautious optimism here: [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/health/omicron-variant-vaccines.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/health/omicron-variant-vaccines.html) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3109 "2021-11-27T11:27:18Z")
[sigh] > **[COVID variant spreads to more countries as world on alert](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-netherlands-south-africa-amsterdam-1b344a86ff359a552aa5a64899a57ff7)** > > LONDON (AP) — The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries on Saturday, just days after being identified in South Africa, leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the... ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3110 "2021-11-27T11:44:09Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > I’m surprised this is omicron, I thought they’d already designated this as nu. They skipped “nu” because it sounds like “new,” which could cause confusion. They also skipped “xi,” which also has pronunciation difficulties (and also possibly because it is also a Chinese name). (I looked it up and “xi” is often pronounced like the first syllable of Zion, or like ksigh (i.e. sigh with a k sound in front). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3111 "2021-11-27T11:53:28Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > 24 does not bode well… If a lifetime of science fiction has taught me anything, it’s that whenever you reach the Omega stage of something, you’re totally screwed. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3112 "2021-11-27T13:56:39Z")
Basically, travel bans have been enacted against SOUTHERN AFRICAN countries, but not places like Israel, Belgium against whom there would be political and diplomatic costs to impose such bans. Apparently, the variant is sensitive to such minutiae? Then again, I am not a virologist and epidemiologist. ETA: My autocorrect all capped “Southern Africa” for some reason. Still it’s perverse that Zoo animals are getting the vaccine before doctors in poor countries. > **[Cincinnati Zoo vaccinates 80 animals against Covid-19](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/cincinnati-zoo-vaccinates-80-animals-against-covid-19-n1281880)** > > The zoo said it has been vaccinating big cats, great apes, red pandas, goats, giraffes, river otters, skunks, bearcats and some domestic dogs and cats. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3113 "2021-11-27T15:36:35Z")
Covido\* in the UK: > **[COVID variant spreads to more countries as world on alert](https://apnews.com/article/omicron-variant-covid-africa-uk-netherlands-1b344a86ff359a552aa5a64899a57ff7)** > > The new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus has popped up in more European countries, just days after being identified in South Africa., leaving governments around the world scrambling to stop the spread. > [@](#): > > U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that two people have tested positive with the omicron variant in the southeastern English town of Chelmsford and in the central city of Nottingham. He said the cases were linked and related to travel from southern Africa. > > Javid said the two confirmed cases are self-isolating alongside their households while contact tracing and targeted testing takes place. \*Yes, I’ve coined the term Covid-o or covido for this one. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3114 "2021-11-27T15:41:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > 24 does not bode well… > > If a lifetime of science fiction has taught me anything, it’s that whenever you reach the Omega stage of something, you’re totally screwed. AIUI, when they run out of Greek letters, they’re going to start using constellation names. So what does your SF-fu say will happen when they get to Andromeda? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3115 "2021-11-27T16:39:34Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > So what does your SF-fu say will happen when they get to Andromeda? That strains the imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3116 "2021-11-27T19:00:30Z")
Got this this morning from Dr. Rebecca Weintraub at Harvard. A colleague of my step-brother’s. I don’t believe there is any copyright issue since it was a forwarded email, but apologies to the mods if they deem it so. > Hi Friends, > > Hoping you all are off line with family. In case you are back in your inbox. > > A few FAQ. > > The World Health Organization [announced](https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern) that SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 has been elevated to a “variant of concern” and will be known as Omicron. (In recent days, many had speculated that the Greek letter Nu would be used; the Greek letter Omicron was felt to be less confusing, because “Nu” and “new” sound too similar). Shortly after, the United States announced [restrictions](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/26/biden-south-africa-variant/) on travelers from South Africa and at least 7 other nations so far. The rules do not apply to US citizens or permanent US residents. > > Aggregating a few facts > > 1. Omicron has over 30 mutations in the spike protein an unusually large number of mutations. This [suggests](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03291-y) that the variant may have emerged from a single patient whose body could not clear the infection, remaining contagious for far longer than most patients. The longer an infection persists, the more mutations one virus can accumulate. This is known to occur in people with profoundly compromised immune systems. > > 2. Spike protein mutations may make it easier for the virus to enter a host cell where it can replicate. Some mutations, however, might have the opposite effect. Also, some mutations may help the virus more easily evade our existing acquired immunity, whether from prior infection or vaccines. > > 3. We have no evidence suggesting Omicron causes worse disease than its ancestors nor that it does so more frequently. > > 4. We do not have _direct_ evidence to suggest that Omicron is either markedly less vulnerable to our existing immunity or is more contagious in any clinically meaningful way, at least so far. This, however, could change, and that’s the crux of everything. While these spike mutations and the prevalence of Omicron in Southern Africa raise these as genuine possibilities (and therefore warrant attention and resource-intensive investigations), those outcomes are not guaranteed. > > First, is Omicron more contagious than prior variants? The WHO [implies](https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern) that they think so; otherwise B.1.1.529 would just be a variant of “interest” rather than of “concern. (To my knowledge, none of the other [criteria](https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern) for elevating a variant from being one of “interest” to one of “concern” have been met). > > However, I simply have not seen public data that supports or proves that Omicron is more contagious. The WHO also stated that concerns regarding an increased likelihood of “reinfection” were partially behind their choice to designate Omicron as a variant of concern. It’s unlikely that the WHO is withholding data. So we should watch things unfold with open minds. This could go in any direction. In fact, given what we know, there are two important and realistic possibilities to explain Omicron’s dominance in some parts of Southern Africa. The first is that Omicron truly is more contagious. For now, we should assume that’s the case. But the second possibility not yet ruled out is that Omicron is actually _not_ more contagious. If that’s the case, what we are seeing in South Africa and a few other regions could be an example of what is known as the “founder effect.” > > The founder effect occurs when there is no disease in a certain area and a new outbreak occurs. Over a few weeks, one case spreads to dozens, then hundreds, and then thousands. Any genetic analysis on any these thousands of cases would show similar results: in this instance, all Omicron, all the time. But that’s because literally every case tracks back to the same “index patient” that started a particular outbreak. This scenario remains possible since Omicron apparently emerged from regions of Southern Africa where there has apparently been very little Covid-19 recently. That said, surveillance there might not be adequate and the fact that Omicron has started showing up elsewhere is worrying. On the other hand, if Omicron took over regions where a fair number of Delta variant infections were simultaneously circulating, that would suggest the newer variant is indeed more contagious. > > Next, let’s turn to immune evasion. Is Omicron able to escape immunity that individuals have, either from prior infection or vaccination? That’s unknown. While it is quite likely to (in some degree), the difference could range from inconsequential to devastating. But even with 30 mutations or more, our immune systems are likely to be able to keep up, for the most part. In fact, if the mutations amounted to a new version of the coronavirus spike protein that was _so very different_ than previous versions, such changes could actually backfire for the virus, making it _harder_ to invade our cells. It is possible, and perhaps even likely, that Omicron partially lowers our vaccines’ effectiveness against infection (and also protection from prior infections)—but not against severe disease. If so, we should again be reminded that increases in mild breakthrough infections would not be nearly as worrisome as increases in breakthrough severe disease would be. We should get _very worried_ if we learn that Omicron breakthrough infections are more likely to cause severe illnesses. During the Delta era, we’ve almost exclusively seen breakthrough severe illnesses in older populations. > > ••• > > What should we do right now? Does the United States’ new quasi-travel [restriction](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/11/26/biden-south-africa-variant/) for non-US citizens from Southern Africa starting three days from now make sense? > > If Omicron is more contagious, but _not_ more deadly for the vaccinated (or even the unvaccinated), a leaky travel ban would slow things down a bit but the outcome would be the same; the unvaccinated will suffer the consequences of their choices sooner. That is unless Omicron scares a few people on the fence into finally vaccinating. That’s one upside of early alarmism. It must be said, Omicron is probably already here. So if Omicron sets us back to the pre-vaccine era, any successful travel ban would have to be far-more extensive and less porous than this policy. In that scenario, in order to work, a comprehensive travel ban would likely have to be accompanied by a return to major disruptions in daily life while we re-vaccinate everyone from scratch. Anyone who says a shutdown is off the table right now is either not paying attention, or is in denial. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3117 "2021-11-27T19:17:23Z")
If the travel restrictions don’t apply to US citizens & or permanent US residents returning from those countries in Africa, do they at least have to quarantine when they come back from those countries? Being a US citizen or permanent US resident doesn’t magically make them incapable of being infected with the new variant. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3118 "2021-11-27T20:10:58Z")
Greetings from the UK. We have two cases of Omicron. Travel just got more difficult and expensive; and we’re masking again. > **[Covid: Travel and mask rules tightened over Omicron variant](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59445124)** > > New measures to slow Omicron's spread in England before Christmas are unveiled by Boris Johnson. > - Everyone entering the UK will have to take PCR test by the second day of their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result > - All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of whether or not they are fully jabbed > - Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport - but hospitality settings will be exempt from the changes j ETA, by way of clarification, “fully jabbed” is a - uh - quaint Britishism for fully vaccinated. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3119 "2021-11-27T22:59:24Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > [BBC quote] > Face coverings will be made compulsory in shops and on public transport - but hospitality settings will be exempt from the changes “Hospitality settings,” meaning hotels and restaurants? Why not there, too? (Except while you’re actually eating.) ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3120 "2021-11-27T23:32:43Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > [Quoting email] On the other hand, if Omicron took over regions where a fair number of Delta variant infections were simultaneously circulating, that would suggest the newer variant is indeed more contagious. Note, if this is the case, then it would be more contagious than **delta** , which was already more contagious than the original. Delta is already very contagious. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3121 "2021-11-28T00:57:45Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > Note, if this is the case, then it would be more contagious than **delta** , which was already more contagious than the original. Delta is already very contagious. See thread for support for this idea: > [@How can this new omicron strain have such a high r0 value](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-this-new-omicron-strain-have-such-a-high-r0-value/954988): > > it was just upgraded to variant of concern. it’s more infectious than delta which had an r0 or 6-7. is there an upper limit on how contagious covid can be? this new strain is supposedly up there with the most infectious diseases that exist like measles. how does a disease go from novel to possibly the highest r0 of any disease in earth so fast? why didn’t other infectious diseases evolve so fast? smallpox never had an r0 this high. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3122 "2021-11-28T03:35:38Z")
[Updated story at the AP:](https://apnews.com/article/omicron-variant-covid-africa-uk-netherlands-1b344a86ff359a552aa5a64899a57ff7) > [@](#): > > The U.K. on Saturday tightened its rules on mask-wearing and on testing of international arrivals after finding two cases. New cases were confirmed Saturday in Germany and Italy, with Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong also reporting that the variant has been found in travelers. > > In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious diseases expert, said he would not be surprised if the omicron variant was already in the United States, too. > > “We have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility … it almost invariably is ultimately going to go essentially all over,” Fauci said on NBC television. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2021, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3123 "2021-11-28T03:38:19Z")
261,371,756 total cases 5,212,373 dead 236,064,824 recovered In the US: 49,077,695 total cases 799,312 dead 38,861,714 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 260,876,508 total cases > 5,206,264 dead > 235,679,163 recovered > > In the US: > > 49,050,408 total cases > 799,137 dead > 38,840,233 recovered [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=152) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=154)