Coronavirus

Low

In England, there are no local authority areas currently classified as low. This is to reflect the general increase in infection rate across the country. In the current environment it is not considered appropriate for anywhere in England to be deemed ‘low’ risk.

Copy pasted that from App notes.

A stunning success in the never ending battle against the killer plandemic sweeping across Britain. But Boris's news conference today won't be solely to celebrate this latest achievement, but to inform us what more can be done.

Just through locking up those party loving and Covid spreading students, along with a 10pm pub closing time to get everyone on the streets, buses, and underground at the same time, we've defeated that frightening 'doubling' figure for the time being, as well as proving how much safer it must be to organise your late drinking sessions with friends, at places other than pubs and away from the prying eyes of Covid Marshals.

Surely we can't let this good work go to waste with reckless talk of allowing the students back out to spread Covid to all corners of the UK at Christmas ? However, would their incarceration be more palatable for them, if the rest of us, including their parents back at home, made more sacrifices ? It might be a token gesture, but it would mean a lot to the students I'm sure. Let's see if Boris and his advisers can think up something to enable us to demonstrate greater solidarity with the country's students. He'll let us know later.

We need a vaccine - most of the headline projects target antibody immunity which FADES - see the DT yesterday :-

"Immunity to coronavirus may only last a matter of a months, according to new research that could hinder the rollout of a successful vaccine. A study by Imperial College London, which involved 365,000 people, showed that antibodies in the population fell by more than a quarter in just three months. Scientists said the findings suggested a "rapid" decline in immunity – which could mean that even if a successful vaccine is found, it might have to be administered twice a year. The mass research indicated that, by last month, fewer than one in 20 people had developed antibodies to Covid. Commissioned by the Department of Health, it is part of the largest piece of a research programme informing Government policies. Its findings showed that by June, after the first wave of the pandemic, just six per cent of the population had developed antibodies, which suggest some level of protection against the virus. Three months later, that figure had dropped to 4.4 per cent, with most of the decline happening within just six weeks.

Scientists said the findings showed Britain is "miles off" achieving herd immunity, which they warned might never be reached without a vaccine. However, the research did not examine the role played by other forms of immunity. SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THE PART PLAYED BY T-CELLS – a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight off viruses and is linked with prior infections by common colds – could be more crucial in fighting the virus. Scientists analysed home fingerprick test samples from hundreds of thousands of adults to establish "detectable antibody levels" over a period of three months, and found levels fell by 26.5 per cent overall. The largest fall was among those most vulnerable to serious illness from Covid. Among those aged 75 and over, antibody levels fell by 39 per cent, while a drop of only 15 per cent was seen in those aged between 18 and 24.

Researchers stressed that it is not yet known what level of antibody response is required to protect against reinfection – meaning it is possible that even levels of antibodies that were not found by the tests were offering some protection. But they said the findings suggested a significant rapid decline in immunity, raising the prospect that those infected by Covid could suffer repeat infections in further waves.

The possibility that a vaccine may have to be administered as often as every six months increases the scale of the challenge ahead. However, the researchers said vaccines may prove more powerful than natural immunity. The sharpest fall was seen in those most in need of protection, with antibody levels among the over-75s reducing by close to 40 per cent between June and September."

The CAPS are mine for you. GLA

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/27/covid-immunity-may-last-months-study-finds/

I have decided to re-open this thread because I am completely puzzled by claims that these vaccines are "effective".

Before I ask the question, I must point out that I am a total ignoramus as far as scientific matters are concerned. At school I took a mock 'O' level exam in chemistry and got 15%. For me, lessons in the lab consisted of mixing together a number of coloured liquids and seeing what happened. However, before it is thought that I am a total moron, I should add that I did get 'A' grades in 'A' level French, Spanish and Latin, so clearly my bread was overwhelmingly buttered on one side.

So the question is, how can these drug companies report that their vaccines are 70%, 90% or any % effective when they have been injected only in the last few days? I'm sure that there must be someone out there with the necessary epidemiological knowledge who can explain it to me in layman's terms. Come on, Swatcat, you seem to have above average knowledge of all this galimatias, what am I not understanding?

From the top of my head it is based on phase 3 trials over the last couple of months where so many thousands of people are injected with the vaccine but half of which are in a controlled placebo group. The trial then monitors how many people in each group get COVID-19 and based on these relative numbers you can get a percentage of how effective it is.

Edit: just read Stefano’s post who explains it a lot better!

In my view it doesn't really matter when a concerted effort was made it still took almost 200 years from the development of a vaccine against smallpox to it being totally eradicated as a disease.

It remains the case that smallpox is the only disease totally eradicated by a vaccine....it therefore follows that covid is very unlikely to be eradicated and that, as we have with many other potentially fatal diseases, we will have to learn to live with it.

Valid points though plainmoorpete as always....