The Sky Is Falling! Yet Another Variant

[Something Fishy]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59424269

[Yehuda57]

Never been prouder of my country. We already made our second variant, while the rest of the world is relying on China and India to make their's#ProudlySouthAfrican

— Leibel (@Squilled) November 25, 2021

[AsherO]

59 cases and “it’s the worst we’ve seen yet” *yawn*

[yerushabubby]

Are the symptoms themselves worrisome, or is it only the fact that it is new?

[AsherO]

Are the symptoms themselves worrisome, or is it only the fact that it is new?

The biggest symptom thus far is the falling sky, sounds worrysome to me

[shapsam]

The biggest symptom thus far is the falling sky, sounds worrysome to me

The only one really in imminent danger is Something Fishy, the rest of us still have a long time until the falling sky reaches us.

[ExGingi]

https://m.ynet.co.il/articles/rkc44laoy

[AsherO]

The only one really in imminent danger is Something Fishy, the rest of us still have a long time until the falling sky reaches us.

Why? Is his head in Africa?

[avromie7]

Why? Is his head in Africa?

It was recently.

[CountValentine]

59 cases and “it’s the worst we’ve seen yet” *yawn*

https://news.yahoo.com/israel-detects-first-case-coronavirus-085436730.html

[Dawie]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59424269

\
Cases from Gauteng, Malawi... Sao Tome and Accra next?
pattern anyone?

[Abey]

59 cases and “it’s the worst we’ve seen yet” *yawn*

Have you red the article? 32 spikes is the concern here not the amount of people infected yet. (I’m no epidemiologist but dismissing the story because we don’t understand the implications is not wise)

[AsherO]

Have you red the article? 32 spikes is the concern here not the amount of people infected yet. (I’m no epidemiologist but dismissing the story because we don’t understand the implications is not wise)

You mean 32 mutations in the spike. Not sure how abnormal that is.

It's that, combined with a significant spike (no pun intended) in case counts (possibly a super spreader) in SA. What's being suggested is that the sharp increase in cases is somehow related to this variant. It isn't clear to me whether there's any evidence yet to confirm that link.

[CountValentine]

You mean 32 mutations in the spike. Not sure how abnormal that is.

It's that, combined with a significant spike (no pun intended) in case counts (possibly a super spreader) in SA. What's being suggested is that the sharp increase in cases is somehow related to this variant. It isn't clear to me whether there's any evidence yet to confirm that link.

Once you have evidence to confirm the link won't it be too late?

[avromie7]

This is why treatments are arguably more valuable than vaccines.

[as2]

The new variant is named like an IP address. Coincidence? I think not...

[Yehuda57]

The new variant is named like an IP address. Coincidence? I think not...

They better name this variant Kulula

— Leibel (@Squilled) November 25, 2021

[Yehuda57]

The market is reacting to hot takes from pandemic pundits instead of tuning into the live Q&A with the South African Health Minister, who just said that the hospitalization ratio is 1 vaccinated to 4 unvaccinated persons https://t.co/Sm0f02Mylh

— Dr. Jorge A. Caballero stands with 🇺🇦 (@DataDrivenMD) November 26, 2021

Though, to be fair, my memory of South African health ministers is saying things like aids is cured by the African potato.

[ExGingi]

Though, to be fair, my memory of South African health ministers is saying things like aids is cured by the African potato.

Sounds like a Trevor Noah line.

[Euclid]

This is why treatments are arguably more valuable than vaccines.

Depends on the treatment. Eg Merck's pill target specific characteristics of the spike, so if there's a mutation it could have an affect on the treatment efficacy.