Coronavirus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) outbreak discussion

[basilio]

This is brilliant

The costs seem so ridiculously reasonable they can only go up by 1000% if produced under commercial considerations.

'A Fitbit for the face': How new mask prototypes can detect leaks and diagnose COVID​

How about a mask that can diagnose COVID?​

It may seem hard to believe, but a laboratory at Harvard in the US has found a cheap way of putting a COVID test in an N95 mask.

Announced last year, the button-activated mask gives results within 90 minutes at levels of accuracy comparable to standard nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests like polymerase chain reactions (PCR).

Strips of freeze-dried cellular machinery are added to a medical-grade face mask.(Supplied: Harvard)
And it costs about $US5 ($7), said Peter Nguyen, one of the Harvard scientists who developed the prototype.

"In essence, our technology miniaturises an entire laboratory onto a wearable garment," he said.

"It combines the high accuracy of PCR tests with the speed and low cost of antigen tests."

Face mask design hasn't changed in decades. These devices bring them into the 21st century

The pandemic has seen a lot of changes, but one thing that's remained the same for the past two years is face mask technology: we're still using old designs. But that might be about to change.

www.abc.net.au

 

[moXJO]

A very good article on face mask usage (what I've been saying all along).

Do I need an N95 mask and if so, can I reuse it?

Experts disagree with the practice. But if you’re going to do it, it’s only advisable under certain conditions.

www.smh.com.au

It's literally just a security blanket the way most people use it.

 

[basilio]

Czech singer Hanka Horká dies after intentionally contracting COVID-19​

Posted 2h ago2 hours ago

Horká's son said she preferred to catch the disease rather than get vaccinated.(Facebook: Hanka Horká)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article


An anti-vax Czech folk singer has died after she deliberately contracted COVID-19 to obtain a health pass that would have allowed her to visit the sauna and theatre, her family said.

Key points:​

• The singer's son blamed her death on a local anti-vax movement
• Horká took to social media to say she had survived the virus then died two days later
• She was 57 years old

Czech folk singer dies after intentionally contracting COVID-19

An anti-vax Czech folk singer has died after she deliberately contracted COVID-19 to obtain a health pass that would have allowed her to visit the sauna and theatre, her family says.

www.abc.net.au

 

[mullokintyre]

It seems that Tennis Australia is going to get into more hot water over its COVID protocols.
From

Tennis Australia says its Covid testing regime will not change in the wake of Alexander Zverev’s explosive claims that “quite a few players have it” at the Australian Open.
As it stands, players are provided with rapid antigen tests on-site daily, but it is based on an honesty system as to whether they complete them.
But it is their personal responsibility to monitor for symptoms and actually do the tests.
Zverev’s comments, which came after Australian Bernard Tomic lashed the testing protocols, raise questions as to how many players are actually completing rapid tests each day, particularly if they have no symptoms and consider themselves a chance to progress.
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza confirmed that there was no mandatory testing for players after her second round defeat to Alize Cornet.
“Me I test every two days by myself in my room,” she said. “It’s not mandatory. I still do it.
“(It’s an) optional thing.”
Muguruza added that she was not forced to present her results to anyone.

So, your an international tennis star competing for some big prizes with two of the top four seeds not even competing, would you let it be known you were positive if you even took a test??
Djokic has already proved that he ignores the protocols, so why not others?
It should be noted that the Chairperson of TA has been totally silent during all this.
Just like last year when she only turned up at the final to present the cup and make a long speech.
And while speaking of Djokovic, I heard on the radio in the car a few minutes ago that the Feds have warned anti vax surfer, Kelly Slater not to bother coming to Australia unless he is vaxed.
Mick

 

[DB008]

Question

Is there a way of testing to see if you've had Covid-19? Retro test?

 

[moXJO]

Question

Is there a way of testing to see if you've had Covid-19? Retro test?

Yeah. Not sure if it's free though. But you can get it done for about $200 online.

 

[Logique2]

'Pfizer-mectin'

Covid: Pfizer says antiviral pill 89% effective in high-risk cases

The company stopped clinical trials early because initial results for the drug were so positive.

www.bbc.com

Seems anti-virals are now fine, once big pharma is flogging rhem off to governments, at a premium

 

[barney]

Czech singer Hanka Horká dies after intentionally contracting COVID-19​

Thanks for the link @basilio

That is not a good look of course for those who are "vaccine-unsure" (myself included)


I do wonder though:


Given she had just "tweeted" that she was basically on the mend and feeling "over it" (the effects of the virus)


Plus the Report does not confirm she actually died "from" Covid. (even though that is the implication)


And, given recent Media reports (across the World) have been perhaps less than transparent


Is there some cause for questioning the "intention" of the presented facts? (genuine suggestion)

 

[basilio]

Thanks for the link @basilio

That is not a good look of course for those who are "vaccine-unsure" (myself included)


I do wonder though:


Given she had just "tweeted" that she was basically on the mend and feeling "over it" (the effects of the virus)


Plus the Report does not confirm she actually died "from" Covid. (even though that is the implication)


And, given recent Media reports (across the World) have been perhaps less than transparent


Is there some cause for questioning the "intention" of the presented facts? (genuine suggestion)

Your grasping at non existent straws Barney. This is not the first time someone has passed through some very difficult COVID illnesses, felt a bit better - and then relapsed quickly and fatally. And it almost certainly happens with other illnesses as well.

It is what it is. She didn't want to be vaccinated. She deliberately infected herself with COVID. She had a fatal bout of the illness.

Of course everyone is free to believe whatever they want these days. Reality and facts have little to do with acceptance. And because this incident was published in the MSN in some circles it will be instantly and automatically discounted by a number of people.

Horká’s son, Jan Rek, said she deliberately spent time around him and his father after the two men, who are fully immunized, contracted the virus. She had been seeking a recovery pass, he told the British Broadcasting Corp. In the Czech Republic, proof of vaccination or recovery from infection is needed to enter dining and leisure spaces.

“She should have isolated for a week because we tested positive. But she was with us the whole time,” Rek told the BBC. On Sunday, the day Horká died, she felt better and dressed to go for a walk. But her back began hurting and she went to lie down in her bedroom.

“In about 10 minutes it was all over,” her son said. “She choked to death.”

Rek told the BBC his mother didn’t believe in conspiracy theories about coronavirus vaccines. “Her philosophy was that she was more okay with the idea of catching covid than getting vaccinated,” he said. But he went public with the story, originally in an interview with Czech public radio station iRozhlas.cz, in the hope of convincing others to get vaccinated. “If you have living examples from real life, it’s more powerful than just graphs and numbers.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/01/20/czech-singer-dies-covid-hanka-horka/

 

[barney]

Your grasping at non existent straws Barney.

I assure/reassure you that is not my intention Bas ... and I thank you for the further info above by the way.

I'm not looking for conspiracy, just transparency ...

(Although in saying that, I confess some of the current conspiracy theories seem to make more sense to my now skeptical eyes )

Therefore I accept my points of view will be biased by my skepticism and should be taken with an appropriate amount of "salt"


Just as an example (and I totally accept it proves nothing)

I recall a few days ago when there were 16 deaths post Covid in QLD;

The main stream media headlines were something akin to, only one person out of all the deaths had been "boosted"

The intimation behind the message (unless I'm very poor at reading intimation) was,

That not being fully vaccinated (ie now boosted) puts you at more risk of death (That may well be true btw, however)


The actual stats on that particular day were in fact;

Of the 16 deaths ...... 13 people were fully vaccinated (or at least double jabbed)

And 3 were unvaccinated.


Yet the media (for whatever reason), preferred to hype up the fear factor of being "un-protected" by highlighting "boosters"

I make no particular inference out of those stats either way (because given Aus has a 90+% vax rate, those numbers are "understandable"




For the record, 9 out of 12 people (in the last 2 weeks) of my close personal contacts who have contracted Covid

Have been fully "vaccinated". And the 3 unvaccinated were young children!


If this unfortunate lady Hanka Horka died "from" covid after willingly contracting covid, that is a terrible thing,

But choking to death within 10 minutes after previously feeling well does seem unusual?

I just wonder whether we are being given ALL the details of the situation?


Either way, a sad story on many fronts.

 

[Knobby22]

Thanks for the link @basilio

That is not a good look of course for those who are "vaccine-unsure" (myself included)


I do wonder though:


Given she had just "tweeted" that she was basically on the mend and feeling "over it" (the effects of the virus)


Plus the Report does not confirm she actually died "from" Covid. (even though that is the implication)


And, given recent Media reports (across the World) have been perhaps less than transparent


Is there some cause for questioning the "intention" of the presented facts? (genuine suggestion)

Now that Novavax is approved, are you going to take it Barney?

 

[barney]

Now that Novavax is approved, are you going to take it Barney?

Probably no surprise Knobby that i'm a bit gun-shy of covid vaccines in general.

In saying that however, if I had to get one, the Novavax would definitely be the preferred one.

Being a "protein subunit" vaccine where the body is not "coerced' to replicate the spike protein, rather just deal with a "dead copy" of the virus (sequence), it seems to eliminate the potential harms of antibody enhancement via potential "uncontrollable" spike replication from the mRNA vaccines.

I know the earlier studies were showing high efficacy/low adverse reactions for the Novavax. I confess I haven't looked at how it is performing against the Omicron.

Currently I'm going into my third day after an extended close contact with a family member who was diagnosed with Covid a couple of days ago.

Bit of a "not quite normal" minor rasp in the throat and a slight foggy head, but I often have those symptoms anyway lol

Given this is my second family close contact in the last few months, and assuming I don't catch it or only get a mild dose, I'd say i am either very lucky, or all my prophylactic "medications" and other precautions may have been helpful ?

Can't prove it. May be pure luck, but hopefully the resilience continues

Cheers.

 

[wayneL]

Now that Novavax is approved, are you going to take it Barney?

For me there is a complex risk reward scenario.

For me I don't believe my health risk is great at all, therefore I wouldn't be taking novavax based on health benefits.

The greater risk is government tyranny. If the risk from novavax is less than my perceived risk from the WA Gestapo, it may be worth it, but only under duress.

I will most likely use that status to get the hell out of Dodge.

 

[Knobby22]

For me there is a complex risk reward scenario.

For me I don't believe my health risk is great at all, therefore I wouldn't be taking novavax based on health benefits.

The greater risk is government tyranny. If the risk from novavax is less than my perceived risk from the WA Gestapo, it may be worth it, but only under duress.

I will most likely use that status to get the hell out of Dodge.

I would be very surprised if you took it.

 

[Knobby22]

Probably no surprise Knobby that i'm a bit gun-shy of covid vaccines in general.

In saying that however, if I had to get one, the Novavax would definitely be the preferred one.

Being a "protein subunit" vaccine where the body is not "coerced' to replicate the spike protein, rather just deal with a "dead copy" of the virus (sequence), it seems to eliminate the potential harms of antibody enhancement via potential "uncontrollable" spike replication from the mRNA vaccines.

I know the earlier studies were showing high efficacy/low adverse reactions for the Novavax. I confess I haven't looked at how it is performing against the Omicron.

Currently I'm going into my third day after an extended close contact with a family member who was diagnosed with Covid a couple of days ago.

Bit of a "not quite normal" minor rasp in the throat and a slight foggy head, but I often have those symptoms anyway lol

Given this is my second family close contact in the last few months, and assuming I don't catch it or only get a mild dose, I'd say i am either very lucky, or all my prophylactic "medications" and other precautions may have been helpful ?

Can't prove it. May be pure luck, but hopefully the resilience continues

Cheers.

Good luck.

 

[moXJO]

Czech singer Hanka Horká dies after intentionally contracting COVID-19​

Posted 2h ago2 hours ago
View attachment 136175
Horká's son said she preferred to catch the disease rather than get vaccinated.(Facebook: Hanka Horká)
Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article


An anti-vax Czech folk singer has died after she deliberately contracted COVID-19 to obtain a health pass that would have allowed her to visit the sauna and theatre, her family said.

Key points:​

• The singer's son blamed her death on a local anti-vax movement
• Horká took to social media to say she had survived the virus then died two days later
• She was 57 years old

Czech folk singer dies after intentionally contracting COVID-19

An anti-vax Czech folk singer has died after she deliberately contracted COVID-19 to obtain a health pass that would have allowed her to visit the sauna and theatre, her family says.

www.abc.net.au

Couple of weird things about this story.
First is more irony
Two vaxxed people infect a non vaxxed person.

But the other was that she apparently felt ok, then later complained of a sore back. Then went to lay down and within 10mins had chocked to death.
Sounds suss.

 

[barney]

Good luck.

All good M8. I understand why others think that those who don't wish to take the vax may be tempting fate unnecessarily (including one of my best friends who is constantly "at me")

It definitely hasn't been a random decision even though many can't understand the decision

But at this point in time, its a decision I'm happy with

I can assure that if i do happen to get crook, I won't be winging about it.

I accept my decision and any/all consequences that go with it. Pretty much the same way I treat Trading Specs

Cheers.

 

[DB008]

​

What is also very interesting is that the "270 Doctors" who signed a letter against Joe Rogan, aren't "Doctors".


​

​

You've been had

​

.​

 

[Knobby22]

Couple of weird things about this story.
First is more irony
Two vaxxed people infect a non vaxxed person.

But the other was that she apparently felt ok, then later complained of a sore back. Then went to lay down and within 10mins had chocked to death.
Sounds suss.

Threr are a lot of side effects that the virus can give you. Stroke, heart inflammation, etc. The family is convinced, we weren't there.

She was under its effects probably trying not to worry them. As you know, I know a person in her 40s who has ruined lungs from it.

There is always some doubt in everything in life and death but 57 year olds don't normally die that easy. I reckon it is highly likely the virus was a factor. (Same age as Keanu Reaves and myself and we still look pretty good).

Also being vaccinated doesn’t stop you catching it and spreading it. You know that personally Moxjo. It just lets your body fight it faster because it has been primed.

 

[Knobby22]

All good M8. I understand why others think that those who don't wish to take the vax may be tempting fate unnecessarily (including one of my best friends who is constantly "at me")

It definitely hasn't been a random decision even though many can't understand the decision

But at this point in time, its a decision I'm happy with

I can assure that if i do happen to get crook, I won't be winging about it.

I accept my decision and any/all consequences that go with it. Pretty much the same way I treat Trading Specs

Cheers.

Your odds are 4 times better with Omicron and the hospital treatments have improved also increasing your odds substantially.

I am pretty risk adverse with health but less so with money as I like the thrill. Those high odds horses and speccys sometimes come in and luck is a fortune.