Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

JudyM

(29,122 posts)
Thu Feb 17, 2022, 03:56 PM Feb 2022

More info about that Covid variant BA.2 that's hitting Denmark hard

Found this study - granted, it’s lab and rodent research, but still interesting for folks who are following its development. Published 2/14/22, not yet peer-reviewed, but reputable team.

Virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant

… These data suggest that, similar to BA.1, BA.2 is highly resistant to the antisera induced by vaccination and infection with other SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as three antiviral therapeutic antibodies.

These data suggest that BA.2 is more rapidly and efficiently spread in the lung tissues than BA.1.

Together with a higher effective reproduction number and pronounced immune resistance of BA.2, it is evident that the spread of BA.2 can be a serious issue for global health in the near future.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.14.480335v1.full

There’s a lot of useful background research info here, too.

I was hoping to be able to get my mom back into her assisted living (took her out when Covid first hit; there were subsequently deaths there, sadly) since transmission has dropped, but it seems that BA.2 is less responsive to vaccine-induced immunity, more transmissible, more pathogenic and less responsive to monoclonal antibody treatment. Info is important for all of us as safety protocols are being lifted. There’s an expert on CNN right now saying the high transmissibility (the map of the country shown is completely red) is not so worrisome because we have vaccines. I am guessing he may not have read this research yet. We’ll see what happens. Stay safe.
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Siwsan

(26,179 posts)
1. I'm glad I don't mind wearing a mask
Thu Feb 17, 2022, 03:59 PM
Feb 2022

I think I'm going to carry on wearing one for at least another year. I haven't had a cold in over 2 years!

Response to JudyM (Original post)

JudyM

(29,122 posts)
9. Lunacy, right! Put the adults back in charge.
Thu Feb 17, 2022, 05:12 PM
Feb 2022

So the mandates/guidelines get dropped and then, before long, go back into effect to a chorus of “see? science is ignorant, give us our freedumb.”

wnylib

(21,146 posts)
12. Especially after spring break, Easter, and
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 01:21 AM
Feb 2022

Memorial Day when people will get together in large numbers, despite the warnings.

2naSalit

(86,076 posts)
8. We haven't had a mandate here...
Thu Feb 17, 2022, 04:53 PM
Feb 2022

For at least a year, infection and death rates are high. The grocery store has the N95 masks for free, limit three. So I grabbed three last time I was there, I needed new ones. I might grab a few more if they are still there next time I go.

progree

(10,864 posts)
13. Hospitalizations rising strongly in Denmark but ICU has been declining, then abt level for 12 days
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 03:39 AM
Feb 2022

Google:
"denmark covid hospitalizations"
without the quotes

A graph appears at the top showing both overall covid hospitalizations and also ICU occupancy.

ICU use fell by more than half from about Jan 10 (when it was 78) to 30 on Feb 4, and that's where it is on Feb 16, the latest. This in a country of 5.8 million, so an ICU occuancy rate of 5.2 per million.

(data obtained less than 12 hours ago from a reputable source, "Google" )

progree

(10,864 posts)
20. Are you looking at the lower dark blue part that is barely above the x-axis? That's the ICU
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 02:58 PM
Feb 2022

It's a graph that says it's from Our World In Data

I'm still seeing what I wrote before ...


Hospitalizations rising strongly in Denmark but ICU has been declining, then abt level for 12 days

Google:
"denmark covid hospitalizations"
without the quotes (or with them)

... ICU use fell by more than half from about Jan 10 (when it was 78) to 30 on Feb 4, and that's where it is on Feb 16, the latest. This in a country of 5.8 million, so an ICU occupancy rate of 5.2 per million.


Tip: to the right of the country selector, which should be on Denmark, there is an "All Time" button next to it. Change that to 30 days, that way it's easy to "mouse along" and read the numbers on the pop-up for the date where the mouse is, for example on the end, it will read, "people hospitalized ... 1,447" and "people in ICU ... 29"

The Feb 17 is an update came after my last post.

(One has to have the time set to 3 months, 6 months or all-time to see the January 10 point of 78 in ICU).

Please let me know if you still aren't seeing that. Thanks

Meowmee

(5,164 posts)
14. Does anyone know when it will hit here?
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 05:34 AM
Feb 2022

We are still masking etc if course. Wearing n95 now and teaching in person. I hope it will be over first then I go back to remote if possible.

Any news on the vaccine the army is working on that will supposedly protect against all variants?

Meowmee

(5,164 posts)
21. Oh
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 07:26 PM
Feb 2022

Ugh, lets hope I don’t catch it from my students, the most likely place for me. I am wearing n95 which fit well, tightly sealed and go to my car to eat etc.

Catherine Vincent

(34,485 posts)
17. I'll continue to wear my mask and won't stop until I'm ready
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 01:35 PM
Feb 2022

Don 't forget about washing those hands or use hs if you're not able to. That's still important.

mvd

(65,148 posts)
18. I'm not in a panic about it
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 01:40 PM
Feb 2022

It’s still omicron and I wear my mask and have been vaccinated. I don’t like everyone going back to normal because who knows what is next.

Initech

(99,915 posts)
19. Me either. Unless it's something to be truly alarmed about I'll keep doing what I am doing.
Fri Feb 18, 2022, 01:52 PM
Feb 2022

Hopefully this will come to pass and it won't be as crazy as Omicron or Delta were. It could also be like that P1 variant which never left Brazil too. Nobody really knows.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»More info about that Covi...