Vicki, your question is a good one, on how different variants `target’ or affect different age groups in different ways. I don’t think it’s the virus intending to go for a younger age group. Instead, I believe it’s the virus’s survival `instinct,’ which `tells’ it to mutate. There are many mutations. We only really hear about the successful ones. And these – through changes to the spike proteins – can have a differential impact on different age groups.
This BBC story from Andrew Marr, a BBC reporter, is interesting. See link below. Marr was fully vaccinated with Pfizer. Yet, he caught Covid and got mild to moderate symptoms (at one point, he felt “seriously ill” though not short of breath). His commonsense advice runs counter – is diametrically opposed – to the CDC. I agree with him and not the CDC. Being cautious at this stage, even if fully vaccinated, will not only protect you, more importantly, it will protect others who may still be vulnerable. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57640550?
Thanks, Joshua. That makes sense. It just isn’t the same virus. The fact that it can mutate to keep itself alive is a rather terrifying thought.
I don’t know if many are still taking cleaning precautions of groceries, etc I know some are, but suspect we are in the minority at this point. We have three children in the house so it may not make a difference, but if it does then it really is no big deal
Up side, is we won’t have to change anything if this thing b,Les up here and I pray it doesn’t.
Discouraging news from the UK. Another big increase in daily new cases of close to 23,000. Monday tends to be a day with fewer cases reported than other weekdays. Disconcerting is an understatement, especially given the season we’re in (summer).
Keep in mind, in UK 85% of adults > 16 have had at least 1 dose; 62% have been fully vaccinated. Significantly higher numbers than in the U.S. This wave bears watching. Most of the persons being infected are unvaccinated. But, thousands of vaccinated (1 or 2 dose) people every day in Britain are getting infected. I don’t like thinking about the consequences of having so many breakthrough infections, reinfections, etc … I firmly believe the vaccines work well. But, I’m under the impression they work less well than advertised, even than the (perhaps cherry-picked) data reported in peer-reviewed journals. Certainly less well against the Delta variant.
I’m no expert, and I know that there are lots of variables, but I do wonder if the longer time that the UK has between doses could make the vaccine less effective.
Good question. I think the spacing between doses in the UK is a contributing factor. Not in terms of making the vaccines less effective, but for the 1-dose only folks they have only moderate protection for long periods of time. This said, the cases in the UK are being observed across all subgroups: The unvaccinated, the 1-dose vaccinated, and the fully vaccinated.
I believe we will be seeing a fairly similar pattern across the U.S., even in states that are doing well at present. It won’t be a big surge, and there will be some decoupling of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, because it will primarily impact younger people. But, I think at least another ripple is inevitable, with a larger wave quite possible in states with low vaccination rates.
Joshua, could the Delta variant also be called “Covid-21”?
Technically, the Delta variant is still the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. So, while it has mutated the Delta variant is not a distinct virus.
My younger daughter pointed out that flu bugs and stomach bugs are now circulating. These are typically cold weather bugs…especially flu. She wondered why now. I wonder if they are not real flu.
It sure does show how well masks work.
Joshua, I got ingredients for your clam chowder. Thought maybe tonight but I’m thinking tomorrow night instead
Test positivity rate in Scotland is over 10%. It was 0.2% 4 weeks ago. That’s how fast things can go south. Remarkable. Scotland is highly vaccinated. I find the 10% figure disturbing. It must mean a lot of breakthrough infections and reinfections, even if the majority of new cases are unvaccinated folks. Can’t be properly explained otherwise.
Just got a text from my brother who lives in San Bruno and they just had an earthquake. He said not a big one, but was a strong jolt and it shook his entire house. 4.2m according to this. https://twitter.com/briankpix/status/1409686374848991233?s=21
Oh geez sorry didn’t mean to post this here…
Thank you for posting. I had to look at map. South of San Francisco. I’ll message Mac’s brother in Moraga. Prayers for your brothers family and all in the area, Scott
Thanks Vicki. Same to your family as well.
Thank you. Just txtd my brother in law. This was his reply
Earthquake in Bay Area. Cam and family are fine. Cam said this when I asked if all is ok
Hi Vicki. It was right next to Oakland in a small town of San Lorenzo. But it was the greatest shaking we have felt in years… And the loudest rattling. It has been downgraded to a 4.0. We immediately did a duck and cover under the dining table.
Glad to hear they are ok. My brother said it was on the Hayward fault line which is one they have been concerned about apparently.
Interesting. And worrisome since they were already worried.
UK is now persona non grata in Europe. Countries are erecting new barriers to prevent Brits from traveling. The U.S. continues to ban all UK and EU visitors.
My ex-wife, who is Dutch, will be traveling to Britain to see our daughter. It’ll be a nice reunion after 11 months (last visit was August of last year when my daughter visited her mother). The Covid restrictions in Britain will have her quarantining the entire 3 day visit. She also has to pay for 5 separate Covid tests (even though she’s fully vaccinated). And, upon return to the Netherlands she must self-isolate and quarantine for 10 days, and have another Covid test. Still, it’s worth it to see your daughter. But, the pandemic has been brutal on the family. My son can now travel to the Netherlands (just lifted its ban on Americans), and will do so at the end of July. Let’s hope the Delta variant doesn’t spread fast in the U.S. before then, because that would change plans as the Netherlands would probably reinstitute the ban.
The Netherlands has reopened cafes, bars, small concert venues, and museums, but everyone who enters an establishment must show that he/she is Covid negative (recent test) and/or fully vaccinated. No exceptions. This will be the norm across Europe for a while.
With Lisbon under a tight travel restriction, Americans who flew to Portugal hoping to have a vacation there are stuck in Lisbon and cannot go to the Algarve, for example, or Medeira.
Just so horribly difficult. My Swedish friend in NYC is heading to Sweden in a couple of weeks. She lost her dad during covid and this will be her first trip home. Her parents were friend of Macs family from the time they lived in Sweden in the early 50s. She lost her husband to cancer just before we lost Mac. She has a dual citizenship so will make it easier to see her family.
C-19 / 6-29 / ready.
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Vicki, your question is a good one, on how different variants `target’ or affect different age groups in different ways. I don’t think it’s the virus intending to go for a younger age group. Instead, I believe it’s the virus’s survival `instinct,’ which `tells’ it to mutate. There are many mutations. We only really hear about the successful ones. And these – through changes to the spike proteins – can have a differential impact on different age groups.
This BBC story from Andrew Marr, a BBC reporter, is interesting. See link below. Marr was fully vaccinated with Pfizer. Yet, he caught Covid and got mild to moderate symptoms (at one point, he felt “seriously ill” though not short of breath). His commonsense advice runs counter – is diametrically opposed – to the CDC. I agree with him and not the CDC. Being cautious at this stage, even if fully vaccinated, will not only protect you, more importantly, it will protect others who may still be vulnerable. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57640550?
Thanks, Joshua. That makes sense. It just isn’t the same virus. The fact that it can mutate to keep itself alive is a rather terrifying thought.
I don’t know if many are still taking cleaning precautions of groceries, etc I know some are, but suspect we are in the minority at this point. We have three children in the house so it may not make a difference, but if it does then it really is no big deal
Up side, is we won’t have to change anything if this thing b,Les up here and I pray it doesn’t.
Discouraging news from the UK. Another big increase in daily new cases of close to 23,000. Monday tends to be a day with fewer cases reported than other weekdays. Disconcerting is an understatement, especially given the season we’re in (summer).
Keep in mind, in UK 85% of adults > 16 have had at least 1 dose; 62% have been fully vaccinated. Significantly higher numbers than in the U.S. This wave bears watching. Most of the persons being infected are unvaccinated. But, thousands of vaccinated (1 or 2 dose) people every day in Britain are getting infected. I don’t like thinking about the consequences of having so many breakthrough infections, reinfections, etc … I firmly believe the vaccines work well. But, I’m under the impression they work less well than advertised, even than the (perhaps cherry-picked) data reported in peer-reviewed journals. Certainly less well against the Delta variant.
I’m no expert, and I know that there are lots of variables, but I do wonder if the longer time that the UK has between doses could make the vaccine less effective.
Good question. I think the spacing between doses in the UK is a contributing factor. Not in terms of making the vaccines less effective, but for the 1-dose only folks they have only moderate protection for long periods of time. This said, the cases in the UK are being observed across all subgroups: The unvaccinated, the 1-dose vaccinated, and the fully vaccinated.
I believe we will be seeing a fairly similar pattern across the U.S., even in states that are doing well at present. It won’t be a big surge, and there will be some decoupling of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, because it will primarily impact younger people. But, I think at least another ripple is inevitable, with a larger wave quite possible in states with low vaccination rates.
Joshua, could the Delta variant also be called “Covid-21”?
Technically, the Delta variant is still the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. So, while it has mutated the Delta variant is not a distinct virus.
My younger daughter pointed out that flu bugs and stomach bugs are now circulating. These are typically cold weather bugs…especially flu. She wondered why now. I wonder if they are not real flu.
It sure does show how well masks work.
Joshua, I got ingredients for your clam chowder. Thought maybe tonight but I’m thinking tomorrow night instead
Test positivity rate in Scotland is over 10%. It was 0.2% 4 weeks ago. That’s how fast things can go south. Remarkable. Scotland is highly vaccinated. I find the 10% figure disturbing. It must mean a lot of breakthrough infections and reinfections, even if the majority of new cases are unvaccinated folks. Can’t be properly explained otherwise.
Just got a text from my brother who lives in San Bruno and they just had an earthquake. He said not a big one, but was a strong jolt and it shook his entire house. 4.2m according to this. https://twitter.com/briankpix/status/1409686374848991233?s=21
Oh geez sorry didn’t mean to post this here…
Thank you for posting. I had to look at map. South of San Francisco. I’ll message Mac’s brother in Moraga. Prayers for your brothers family and all in the area, Scott
Thanks Vicki. Same to your family as well.
Thank you. Just txtd my brother in law. This was his reply
Earthquake in Bay Area. Cam and family are fine. Cam said this when I asked if all is ok
Hi Vicki. It was right next to Oakland in a small town of San Lorenzo. But it was the greatest shaking we have felt in years… And the loudest rattling. It has been downgraded to a 4.0. We immediately did a duck and cover under the dining table.
Glad to hear they are ok. My brother said it was on the Hayward fault line which is one they have been concerned about apparently.
Interesting. And worrisome since they were already worried.
UK is now persona non grata in Europe. Countries are erecting new barriers to prevent Brits from traveling. The U.S. continues to ban all UK and EU visitors.
My ex-wife, who is Dutch, will be traveling to Britain to see our daughter. It’ll be a nice reunion after 11 months (last visit was August of last year when my daughter visited her mother). The Covid restrictions in Britain will have her quarantining the entire 3 day visit. She also has to pay for 5 separate Covid tests (even though she’s fully vaccinated). And, upon return to the Netherlands she must self-isolate and quarantine for 10 days, and have another Covid test. Still, it’s worth it to see your daughter. But, the pandemic has been brutal on the family. My son can now travel to the Netherlands (just lifted its ban on Americans), and will do so at the end of July. Let’s hope the Delta variant doesn’t spread fast in the U.S. before then, because that would change plans as the Netherlands would probably reinstitute the ban.
The Netherlands has reopened cafes, bars, small concert venues, and museums, but everyone who enters an establishment must show that he/she is Covid negative (recent test) and/or fully vaccinated. No exceptions. This will be the norm across Europe for a while.
With Lisbon under a tight travel restriction, Americans who flew to Portugal hoping to have a vacation there are stuck in Lisbon and cannot go to the Algarve, for example, or Medeira.
Just so horribly difficult. My Swedish friend in NYC is heading to Sweden in a couple of weeks. She lost her dad during covid and this will be her first trip home. Her parents were friend of Macs family from the time they lived in Sweden in the early 50s. She lost her husband to cancer just before we lost Mac. She has a dual citizenship so will make it easier to see her family.
C-19 / 6-29 / ready.