# 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:** 161
**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:** [December 14, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3264 "2021-12-14T22:23:08Z")
South Korea: > **[S. Korea marks deadliest day of pandemic as hospitals buckle](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-seoul-91acd6dbf13e16778262e3ec5798a7c3)** > > SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Tuesday marked its deadliest day of the pandemic as an unrelenting, delta-driven spread stretched thin hospitals and left people dying while waiting for beds. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3265 "2021-12-15T00:07:54Z")
Good news, everyone! > **[Pfizer confirms COVID pill's results, potency versus omicron](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-1662719827498fa2b1a4f168c7723688)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer said Tuesday that its experimental pill to treat COVID-19 appears effective against the omicron variant. The company also said full results of its 2,250-person study confirmed the pill's promising early results against the... ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3266 "2021-12-15T00:29:01Z")
Arizona: > **[Banner Health warns Arizona hospitals stretched to limit](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-arizona-c1b3db28b716c388035ac1e344243717)** > > PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix-based Banner Health is at its most overwhelmed since the pandemic began, leading the company's officials to issue a warning Tuesday that its hospital system may have to eventually choose who can receive care. > [@](#): > > Some of Banner’s hospitals in one of Arizona’s largest health care systems are operating above 100% capacity, said Dr. Marjorie Bessel, the company’s chief clinical officer. > > COVID-19 hospitalizations make up one-third of Banner’s hospital patients but there there is also an extremely high volume of patients who delayed preventative care or are in the late stages of an illness, she said. > > The company has 18 hospitals in Arizona. As of Tuesday, 10 of them were running above 100% of their ICU staffed bed capacity. Five of them were operating 100% above staffed in-patient bed capacity, according to spokesman Corey Schubert. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3267 "2021-12-15T02:10:35Z")
271,725,553 total cases 5,336,773 dead 244,231,704 recovered In the US: 51,136,442 total cases 821,335 dead 40,239,513 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 271,097,024 total cases > 5,328,507 dead > 243,754,350 recovered > > In the US: > > 51,018,282 total cases > 819,315 dead > 40,154,700 recovered ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3268 "2021-12-15T02:16:44Z")
From over the pond: > **[Omicron spreading so fast it threatens Britain's hospitals](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-europe-london-england-9a2793178ffdd8859e9cff252dde8433)** > > LONDON (AP) — The omicron variant is spreading so rapidly it has the potential to overwhelm Britain’s hospitals, highlighting the need to strengthen coronavirus restrictions and speed up the delivery of booster vaccine shots, the country's health... ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3269 "2021-12-15T03:29:26Z")
From that article: > Omicron is so transmissible that **even if it proves to be less severe** than other variants, there is still **likely** to be a surge in hospital admissions **if** it goes unchecked, U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid told lawmakers. My bold. A little bit of jumping-the-gun-ism WRT hospital admissions? ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3270 "2021-12-15T13:54:20Z")
Seems like a reasonable extrapolation based on what we know now regarding this variant: - It spreads more rapidly - Even if it less severe than other variants, it can cause serious illness, including death ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3271 "2021-12-15T14:00:28Z")
Your summary is reasonable. The article (esp the headline) was alarmist. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3272 "2021-12-15T14:56:25Z")
Omicron is taking over! > **[Omicron to be dominant variant in EU by mid-January](https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-europe-executive-branch-8bb518aaf1e15f6516e15f649ccccd19)** > > BRUSSELS (AP) — Omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the European Union's 27 nations by mid-January, the bloc's top official said Wednesday amid concerns that a dramatic rise in infections will leave Europe shrouded in gloom... ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3273 "2021-12-15T17:08:17Z")
Banner healthcare enforces a vaccine mandate for all of their employees, the other health care systems (including the VA) do not. If I needed hospitalization I would insist on going to a Banner facility. I am not the only person in the state who prefers to be treated by medical providers who believe in science and IMHO that is why Banner has been reporting bed shortages for the last 6 or 8 months. Yavapai county medical system, which doesn’t have a vaccine mandate has plenty of beds available. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3274 "2021-12-15T17:10:28Z")
Some good info on Omicron. > **[As Omicron COVID-19 variant spreads rapidly, Canadian health experts urge...](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-governments-need-to-move-quickly-on-measures-to-curb-the-rapid-spread/)** > > Capacity restrictions, expanded vaccine booster rollouts and free access to rapid tests could help prevent shutdowns amid rising COVID case counts ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3275 "2021-12-15T19:33:41Z")
Some research: > The Omicron Covid variant has been found to multiply about 70 times quicker than the original and Delta versions of coronavirus in tissue samples taken from the bronchus, the main tubes from the windpipe to the lungs, in laboratory experiments that could help explain its rapid transmission. > > The study, by a team from the University of Hong Kong, also found that the new variant grew 10 times slower in lung tissue, which the authors said could be an indicator of lower disease severity. > **[Omicron found to grow 70 times faster than Delta in bronchial tissue](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/15/omicron-found-to-grow-70-times-faster-than-delta-in-bronchial-tissue)** > > Study of tubes between windpipe and lungs could help explain Covid variant’s rapid transmission ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3276 "2021-12-15T23:31:41Z")
You know what? Up until earlier today (I’ve been out this evening) there’s been headline reporting of the first omicron death in the UK. No details. It feels like scaremongering to me. Yes it’s a huge thing , but y’know, don’t treat me like an idiot. Give me the details. Underlying health issues? j ETA posting from the uk ---
**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:** [December 16, 2021, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3277 "2021-12-16T02:25:25Z")
272,469,550 total cases 5,345,391 dead 244,775,515 recovered In the US: 51,290,979 total cases 823,390 dead 40,343,561 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 271,725,553 total cases > 5,336,773 dead > 244,231,704 recovered > > In the US: > > 51,136,442 total cases > 821,335 dead > 40,239,513 recovered ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3278 "2021-12-16T06:57:02Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > It feels like scaremongering to me. I’m watching the headlines in the UK with amazement. It certainly looks like scaremongering and massive overreaction to me.   In South Africa covid tests are currently coming back 30% positive, but hospital admission rates and deaths still remain low and steady. The situation is being carefully monitored, but nobody seems overly worried, and lockdown is still at the lowest level. Preliminary data shows that Omicron is far milder than previous variants, with quicker recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3279 "2021-12-16T08:31:01Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I’m watching the headlines in the UK with amazement. It certainly looks like scaremongering and massive overreaction to me. Different countries, different demographics, different social interactions, different accommodation, different infection profiles, different behaviours. You can’t directly compare SA with the UK. The UK has some of the very best best tracking and monitoring in the world. There is huge certainty that omicron will race through our population in very, very short order (doubling rate of less than 2 days). Omicron has barely got started but just yesterday there was a huge jump (that was on line with current predictions) Even if it is less severe (still not certain) you can get into health care supply issues very quickly indeed. Because of the speed of transmission you cannot wait for certainty of severity to act. Simple maths, if you have ten times the number of infections for a disease that is only a third as likely to put you in hospital but those hospitalisations are compressed into a very short period of time, you have problems. That’s why the booster program has been turbo-charged. By the end of the week we’ll have about 50% of the population boosted and that initial 50% should cover the most vulnerable. Hopefully that should make a big difference but we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3280 "2021-12-16T12:11:04Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I’m watching the headlines in the UK with amazement. It certainly looks like scaremongering and massive overreaction to me. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty the maths using the best guesses is simple. Omicron infections appear to be doubling every two to three days. Even if it’s half as likely to put people into hospital as Delta (which is still debatable as South Africa has a much younger population) then it will put way more many people into hospital than other variants have. i.e. if it’s four times more infectious than delta but half as deadly, that’s still double the number of hospitalisations. Plus with lots and lots of people infected at the same time healthcare workers even with no symptoms will be forced to stop working. Basically all this means the hospitals will fall over and people will be dying in hospital corridors, or at home because there’s no ambulance to collect them. And that’s why there is so much alarm. For the average person this will be a really light disease, but there will be people who die who could have otherwise be saved. EDIT: or what @Novelty_Bobble said. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3281 "2021-12-16T12:52:47Z")
On the other hand, the UK has a far higher vaccination rate than SA, which offers some protection. The UK also has a seropositivity rate above 90%, while SA has a seropositivity of 72%, so prior exposure is higher. As for an older population, the current indications are that younger people are more affected by Omicron than older people. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3282 "2021-12-16T13:27:09Z")
Sure, I think the picture is “uncertain” at best. Too many variables for which we don’t yet have solid understanding. A range of scenarios have been modelled and they range from meh! to fuck! and none of them reward a “wait and see” response. The powers-that-be will be hammered if hindsight suggests they overreacted. They will, however, be _crucified_ if they treat it lightly and react too late. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428/3283 "2021-12-16T13:32:34Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > The UK also has a seropositivity rate above 90%, while SA has a seropositivity of 72%, so prior exposure is higher. I’m not going to go into long arguments (in this thread, but will happily, and have done so in others), but I highly doubt the UK has a clue as to its seroprevalence rate. The hurdles to performing a true sample are pretty hard to overcome and blood donors certainly doesn’t do the trick. You can age-stratify blood donors, but you’ll need some data to convince me that blood donors in general represent a true cross section of a population where some people still won’t even go to the grocery store (and are less likely to have contracted CoVID than someone who goes every week), so I doubt they are lining up to donate blood. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=160) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2021-breaking-news/929428.md?page=162)