Coronavirus:

[robert.]

What shows up differently in a test for delta or regular covid? Is there a different test?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

What shows up differently in a test for delta or regular covid? Is there a different test?

PCR test will more than probably reveal which variant you have now. Difference is in the sequence.

[Neil]

Current PCR and viral antigen tests detect all known variants of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Sensitivity for each strain may vary, but one needs to do genetic sequencing to determine which strain is present. That's much more time consuming and specialized, and expensive. And not routinely performed for clinical purposes since it does not alter treatment.

Obviously with >30% of the population still unvaccinated, the opportunity exists for new strains to evolve, which could, at least in theory, evade detection by current tests. Not terribly likely, but possible.

[robert.]

Does that mean that state health departments are assuming people have the delta variation. I would also assume that vaccinated people could create a new strain. There appears to be a lot of breakthrough cases.

[Neil]

There is ongoing testing in NY state to define which variants are present, but that takes time. Other states and the CDC are probably also doing sequencing, but the data are not yet mature. There are more breakthrough infections than we had hoped for, but those getting sick and hospitalized are still probably 70-90% unvaccinated. Vaccinated persons would be expected to be much less likely to generate new strains, but there are no data one way or the other as yet. We know that when we get close to 100% vaccination, new strains should be very, very rare, but that's probably a year or two in the future. We need to get children vaccinated, but the clinical trials haven't been completed. And with many parents reluctant to vaccinate despite the increasing number of hospitalizations and deaths in children, this may take a while.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

We need to get children vaccinated, but the clinical trials haven't been completed. And with many parents reluctant to vaccinate despite the increasing number of hospitalizations and deaths in children, this may take a while.

Roughly 30% overall still not vaccinated at all; this may take a long time.

[robert.]

Some parents are actively campaigning for school segregation. They want separate schoolrooms for vaxed and unvaccinated. They (whoever they are) claim “ 40 percent of bucks county’s healthcare workers will are unvaccinated and not willing to be” October 1 should bring a shortage of healthcare workers to the area. For what it’s worth I don’t know what they are calling healthcare workers.

[Neil]

Nobody knows what to do in schools. I'd vaccinate my kids who were eligible, have them wear masks and attend school. Younger kids I would home school or mask and send to school if everyone is masked. Difficult choices, but we have some approaches that will help minimize illness and death. As for the states that are forbidding mask mandates, those governors are murderers.

[HONDO74]

3 vaccinated US senators test positive for COVID-19
Sens. Roger Wicker, Angus King and John Hickenlooper announced they contracted COVID-19

Three U.S. senators announced Thursday that they contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.

Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.;Angus King, I-Maine, and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said they tested positive after experiencing mild or limited symptoms and are currently isolating to stop further spread of coronavirus.

Positive COVID-19 tests among the vaccinated population are considered "breakthrough" cases amid the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant.

[gregj410]

My daughter just got a job in the local elementary school where she will be helping kids from K to 2nd grade with reading. Orientation was this week and they basically have a mask or vax if you want policy.

[robert.]

ABBOT AND COSTELLO'S WHO'S BEEN VACCINATED.
Bud: You can't come in here
Lou: "Why not"
Bud: well because you're unvaccinated"
Lou: "But I'm not sick"
Bud: "It doesn't matter"
Lou: Well why does that guy get to go in?"
Bud: " Because he's vaccinated"
Lou; but he's sick"
Bud: it's all right. Everyone in here is vaccinated"
Lou: "Waite a minute. Are you saying everyone in there is vaccinated?"
Bud: "Yes"
Lou: "So then why can't i go in there if everyone is vaccinated?"
Bud " Because you'll make them sick"
Lou: "How will i make them sick. If I'm NOT sick and they're vaccinated?"
Bud: "because you're unvaccinated"
Lou: "But they're vaccinated"
Bud: "but they can still get sick"
Lou: "So what the heck does the vaccine do?"
Bud: "It vaccinates"
Lou: " So vaccinated people can't still spread covid"
Bud: " Oh no, They can spread covid just as easily as an unvaccinated person"
Lou: " I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. I'm not sick."
Bud: "ok"
Lou: "And the guy you let in is sick"
Bud: That's right"
Lou: and anybody in there can still get sick even though they're still vaccinated."
Bud " certainly "
Lou: "so why can't i go in?"
Bud: "Because You're unvaccinated"
Lou: " I'm not asking who's vaccinated or not"
Bud "I'm just telling you how it is".
Lou: "Never mind. I'll just but my mask on!"
Bud: "That's fine"
Lou: " Now can i go in?"
Bud "absolutely not!"
Lou: " But i have a mask"
Bud: " Doesn't matter"
Lou: I was able to come in here yesterday with a mask."
Bud: " i know"
Lou: So why can't i come in here today with a mask on?... If you say because I'm unvaccinated. I'll break your arm"
Bud: " take it easy buddy".
Lou: "So the mask is no good anymore?"
Bud:" No, it's still good."
Lou:" But i can't come in"
Bud " Correct"
Lou: " Why not?"
Bud: " Because you're unvaccinated"
Lou: But the mask prevents the germs from getting out."
Bud: Yes, But people can still catch your germs'
Lou: "But they're all vaccinated"
Bud: " Yes, But they can still get sick"
Lou: "But 'm not sick"
Bud: " You can still get them sick"
Lou: " So then masks don't work?"
Bud: "Masks work very well"
Lou: "So how in the heck can i get vaccinated people sick if 'm not sick and masks work well?'
Bud: " third base'"
Bud:
Bud

[HONDO74]

India approves world's first DNA Covid vaccine
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57774294

India's drug regulator has approved the world's first DNA vaccine against Covid-19 for emergency use.

The three-dose ZyCoV-D vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in 66% of those vaccinated, according to an interim study quoted by the vaccine maker Cadila Healthcare.

The firm plans to make up to 120 million doses of India's second home-grown vaccine every year.

Previous DNA vaccines have worked well in animals but not humans.

India has so far given more than 570 million doses of three previously approved vaccines - Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V.

About 13% of adults have been fully vaccinated and 47% have received at least one shot since the beginning of the drive in January.

Cadila Healthcare said it had conducted the largest clinical trial for the vaccine in India so far, involving 28,000 volunteers in more than 50 centres.

This is also the first time, the firm claimed, a Covid-19 vaccine had been tested in young people in India - 1,000 people belonging to the 12-18 age group. The jab was found to be "safe and very well tolerated" in this age group.

[HONDO74]

Coronavirus origins: US intelligence report 'inconclusive'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58329980

A US intelligence report requested by President Biden into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic is inconclusive, US media reports say.

Agencies are reportedly divided on whether the virus - first seen in China - was the result of a natural spillover from animals to humans or was caused by a laboratory accident.

An summary of the report is expected to be published in the coming days.

China's foreign minister has dismissed the report as "anti-science".

Wang Yi said Washington had "ignored and abandoned" research carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a report that would only service its "political purposes".

The pandemic, which has claimed more than four million lives around the world, began in the Chinese city of Wuhan in early 2020.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Coronavirus origins: US intelligence report 'inconclusive'

That would have been the expected result.

[HONDO74]

Coronavirus origins: US intelligence report 'inconclusive'

That would have been the expected result.

I figured it was a lost cause without having access to CHINA.NO BIG DEAL THE PLANET ONLY LOST 4 MILLION HUMANS....