[Bjays92]

On the bright side, based on a small sample of Omnicron cases, the majority of cases are unvaccinated.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1464327805836083201

Not trying to say this is wrong. I'm hopeful it's true. However, its way to early to determine whether or not the vaccine is effective. They're basing this data based on the people who have been admitted to the hospital but firstly, SA vaccination numbers are abysmal meaning most people will be unvaxed regardless.

Secondly, it appears that the variant has only become the dominant one in the past couple of weeks. That means in general, most people who have it at this point have probably not had it long enough to develop severe enough symptoms to need hospitalization when factoring in mean incubation time and then how long it takes for symptoms to develop from mild to severe.

If this trend holds in a couple weeks, hopefully we're pretty in the clear but this judgement is certainly premature at this point.

 

[APTA-2048]

Dutch cluster suggests Omicron already has foothold in Europe

The variant appears to be highly contagious, but it's unknown how the symptoms compare with other strains of the virus, or whether current vaccines are less effecti…

nationalpost.com

I think we should have figured out by now that country-specific travel bans aren't going to be very effective.

It's already spread across Europe.

It gives a false sense of security at best and it's a right wing dog whistle at worst.

 

[gabe]

It's here....

Ontario reports first two cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant

Two people from Ottawa who returned from a trip to Nigeria have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant of concern that was first detected in southern Africa, Ontario health officials reported Sunday.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It's here....

Ontario reports first two cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant

Two people from Ottawa who returned from a trip to Nigeria have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant of concern that was first detected in southern Africa, Ontario health officials reported Sunday.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Not surprised at all.

AoD

 

[Richard White]

It's here....

Ontario reports first two cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant

Two people from Ottawa who returned from a trip to Nigeria have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant of concern that was first detected in southern Africa, Ontario health officials reported Sunday.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Watch Ford use this to engage the emergency brake and have a lockdown light for Christmas

 

[PinkLucy]

I doubt it. Maybe tighten up on vaccine passports, because it continues to be the unvaxxed in hospital.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Watch Ford use this to engage the emergency brake and have a lockdown light for Christmas

Nah, he will posture and complain about the Feds letting it in, while not doing what is in his power to stop it. We had this same playbook with Delta.

I doubt it. Maybe tighten up on vaccine passports, because it continues to be the unvaxxed in hospital.

Tighten? He was all ready to ditch the mandatory requirement by January 17.

AoD

 

[Richard White]

I doubt it. Maybe tighten up on vaccine passports, because it continues to be the unvaxxed in hospital.

If case numbers top 1000 again I can see restrictions being put in place to prevent another mass spread and exponential growth.

Vaccine passports are great but nobody checks peoples vaccine status when they visit someones home. That is a big concern in my opinion right now with Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Years and Christmas coming up.

People will want to get together with family, they will have parties and so forth. If numbers keep going up, at some point there will be calls to tighten gathering limits and restrict what people can and cannot do.

Realistically, if people host gatherings over the holidays with increasing numbers and variants there will be problems.

 

[PinkLucy]

Case counts aren’t that much of an indicator. It’s hospitalizations that is an important metric.

And many of us do ask about vaccine status. You’re not coming in my house if you don’t have your shot. I’m not alone on this, families have had serious rifts about it.

 

[Richard White]

Case counts aren’t that much of an indicator. It’s hospitalizations that is an important metric.

And many of us do ask about vaccine status. You’re not coming in my house if you don’t have your shot. I’m not alone on this, families have had serious rifts about it.

I agree. My uncle is not vaccinated and is not welcome in our house.

I agree, case counts are not as much of an indicator but at the same time there is a psychological factor to 4 digit case numbers. They may not be in hospital but 1000+ cases are not good.

 

[APTA-2048]

I agree. My uncle is not vaccinated and is not welcome in our house.

I agree, case counts are not as much of an indicator but at the same time there is a psychological factor to 4 digit case numbers. They may not be in hospital but 1000+ cases are not good.

I’m not sure about case numbers being as impactful now. It’s been almost two years, and I think a lot of people may have become desensitized to it. For some, the urge to live a somewhat normal life may be stronger than the fear of high cases. Especially if they abided by all the rules and got vaccinated too. Maybe not explicitly, but there was a promise of a better life once they got vaccinated.

 

[Bayer]

Accelerating booster shots would be advisable. I've got a 69-year-old diabetic here who got his second dose 6 months ago and he's still not eligible.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Accelerating booster shots would be advisable. I've got a 69-year-old diabetic here who got his second dose 6 months ago and he's still not eligible.

From link.

Based on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and in alignment with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recent recommendation, the province will begin offering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the following vulnerable populations if at least six months have passed since their last dose:​

• Individuals aged 70 and over (born in 1951 or earlier);
• Health care workers and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (including long-term care home and retirement home staff and designated caregivers);
• Individuals who received a complete series of a viral vector vaccine (two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine); and
• First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults and their non-Indigenous household members.

Booster doses are being offered to these groups based on evidence of gradual waning immunity six months after receiving their second dose and a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.​

​

By "70", they mean in the the "calendar" year. Probably, by January, 2022, they'll change it to "70" in the "2022" calendar year.

 

[DSCToronto]

Nah, he will posture and complain about the Feds letting it in, while not doing what is in his power to stop it. We had this same playbook with Delta.



Tighten? He was all ready to ditch the mandatory requirement by January 17.

AoD

Unfortunately, you are likely correct! A lock-down is really unnecessary but move to e-passport only would stop the (easy) forgery of paper ones.

 

[Bayer]

From link.

Based on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and in alignment with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recent recommendation, the province will begin offering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the following vulnerable populations if at least six months have passed since their last dose:​

• Individuals aged 70 and over (born in 1951 or earlier);
• Health care workers and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (including long-term care home and retirement home staff and designated caregivers);
• Individuals who received a complete series of a viral vector vaccine (two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine); and
• First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults and their non-Indigenous household members.

Booster doses are being offered to these groups based on evidence of gradual waning immunity six months after receiving their second dose and a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.​

​

By "70", they mean in the the "calendar" year. Probably, by January, 2022, they'll change it to "70" in the "2022" calendar year.

The Minister of Health said today she will have an announcement later this week about extending the boosters to more age groups.