The Omicron Variant - Topic

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Nov 29 2021 10:49am

Quote (shifty1 @ Nov 29 2021 08:46am)

right. i really don't know much about it, but evolutionary pressure by its nature cannot be applied to a single infection. need iterations of selection (and unfortunately fatalities in strains that cause more severe illness) for this to really be a factor. Looking at this in the scheme of the broader covid pandemic, it's not abnormal for a decrease in severity of a virus in a two year period. pretty interesting, and a bit concerning that thus far, covid has increased in transmissibility but hasn't really decreased in severity.

I don't know that this is necessarily true. Evolution is not always slow moving change. Can be a more advantageous mutation that gains a breeding advantage.
Same I think can be said for virus'

Thor123422

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#112

Nov 29 2021 11:13am

Quote (Black XistenZ @ Nov 29 2021 04:26am)

WHO: "high risk due to omicron variant"
also the WHO: "critical of travel restrictions due to omicron variant"

Those things aren't necessarily contradictory.

Black XistenZ

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#113

Nov 29 2021 11:39am

Quote (NetflixAdaptationWidow @ 29 Nov 2021 18:13)

Those things aren't necessarily contradictory.

Not generally, but in this specific case. Virtually all reported cases in Europe so far have occurred in returning travellers from Southern Africa, so strict testing and quarantining rules make a lot of sense. If Omicron eventually takes off, having kept up this strict border regime might buy us something like two-three weeks, which in this context is a whole lot.

Also let's not forget that the WHO has in the past been reflexively against any travel restrictions

IgoSoHard

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#114

Nov 29 2021 03:17pm