SARS CoV-2 coronavirus / Covid-19 (No tin foil hat silliness please)

Wednesday at Stoke said:
The contact tracing app just notified me that I was in close proximity to someone who tested +ve. Now the wait begins to get tested. I have a thesis submission deadline in 7 weeks and this is the last fecking thing I needed. :nervous:
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Good excuse to get down and write ;)

But nah seriously, as someone who has just submitted my own thesis that extra stress at that stage is the last thing I would have wanted. Good luck!
 
Andy_Cole said:
Exactly that. Always the fear of getting it and it really affects you. Like you said, hopefully gives me a bit of immunity.

A bit of background on myself, I’m 30 years old in the best physical condition I’ve ever been in. I’ve lost 25kg in the past 15 months. So I wonder if this has helped fight the virus?
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Being young/fit definitely helps. Although there are all sorts of examples of very fit young people getting wrecked by it. The first case in France was a triathlete about the same age as you who ended up spending months in ICU. So there has to be some kind of genetic lottery going on here. Plus viral load might have something to do with it (i.e. if you got a tiny dose from the gym that gives you a mild illness vs someone who spends hours indoors very close to someone who is spewing virus)
 
Is anyone else finding their parents are acting as bad if not worse than teenagers wrt Covid?
My brother has just tested positive and is living at home with our parents. Dad went to get tested but mum has refused because she thinks they will tell her she isn't allowed to see anyone for 6 months. I despair.
 
NinjaFletch said:
Good excuse to get down and write ;)

But nah seriously, as someone who has just submitted my own thesis that extra stress at that stage is the last thing I would have wanted. Good luck!
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Yeah just biked down 6 kms to get tested. Now if I test -ve twice, I can go back to work as I really need some face to face meetings with my supervisor.
 
GloryHunter07 said:
Is anyone else finding their parents are acting as bad if not worse than teenagers wrt Covid?
My brother has just tested positive and is living at home with our parents. Dad went to get tested but mum has refused because she thinks they will tell her she isn't allowed to see anyone for 6 months. I despair.
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Give her the facts, 14 days and she’ll be grand. Meeting people in the regulations of course
 
jojojo said:
I've just had an invite to join the Novavax vaccine phase three trial. Anyone know anything about this vaccine and it's story so far?

Also, I've managed to confuse myself over whether I want to be in a trial - or just sit and wait for whatever the NHS starts dishing out next year. Oddly, it's not the trial bit that bothers me - the trial vaccine might be better than the approved one (whichever one that is) - it's the other what ifs.

In this case it's the what if I get a placebo instead, that would be really annoying (and how long before they tell me that I'd better go and have the real thing!). And what if taking the approved vaccine let me travel more freely, or do things (like go to football matches) and the trial one didn't. Realistic worries?
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From what I've read the main concerns are that people with autoimmune issues can suffer side-effects and I guess you wouldn't have been accepted if you had any such history.
 
jojojo said:
I've just had an invite to join the Novavax vaccine phase three trial. Anyone know anything about this vaccine and it's story so far?

Also, I've managed to confuse myself over whether I want to be in a trial - or just sit and wait for whatever the NHS starts dishing out next year. Oddly, it's not the trial bit that bothers me - the trial vaccine might be better than the approved one (whichever one that is) - it's the other what ifs.

In this case it's the what if I get a placebo instead, that would be really annoying (and how long before they tell me that I'd better go and have the real thing!). And what if taking the approved vaccine let me travel more freely, or do things (like go to football matches) and the trial one didn't. Realistic worries?
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They are realistic worries but there should be a lengthy informed consent form (ICF) which will include an FAQ to deal with questions like this. Have a read of that before making any decision.

The ethics of using a placebo in these studies is a hot topic at the moment. Here’s an interesting article on this topic. My own take as a potential participant would be that a 50:50 shot at a potentially effective vaccine several months (or even years?) before you’d get it otherwise is probably worth the risk.
 
Andy_Cole said:
If anyone wants my day by day diary:

Day 1 - felt a bit wiped out. Very slightly. I still went by my normal day, didn’t cross my mind I had Covid. Still gymed.
Day 2 - also the first day of lockdown. I realised I couldn’t taste my dinner. I isolated as soon as I thought I may have Covid at my parents house.
Day 3 - had my test. Feeling fine. Taste is coming back. Smell still gone.
Day 4 - tested positive, everyone I came into contact with got the test. They found out in the evening they’re all negative. Smell coming back. Breathing slightly shortened. Not sure if it’s in my head though. Smashed out the indoor cycle twice today.
Day 5 - breathing is better. Full of energy. Taste and smell back. Will smash out more indoor cycle in a bit.
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Day 5 update - feeling quite wiped out this evening. Very light headed. Hoping after a good nights sleep I’ll be back to normal tomorrow.
 
Andy_Cole said:
Will smash out more indoor cycle in a bit.
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Take it gently. Athletes are being advised to rest rather than to attempt to maintain physical exercise during the quarantine period, even if they've only got minor symptoms, because it's easy to overdo it and put more strain on the heart and lungs. I guess you're not smashing it that hard but I've read/heard that people can feel quite well but then suddenly realise they've got a problem.

Andy_Cole said:
Day 5 update - feeling quite wiped out this evening. Very light headed. Hoping after a good nights sleep I’ll be back to normal tomorrow.
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Take it gently!
 
Pogue Mahone said:
The ethics of using a placebo in these studies is a hot topic at the moment. Here’s an interesting article on this topic. My own take as a potential participant would be that a 50:50 shot at a potentially effective vaccine several months (or even years?) before you’d get it otherwise is probably worth the risk.
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The ideas in that article are exactly what worry me because in many ways I agree with the writer :smirk: I'm kind of willing to give them "informed" consent regarding the vaccine v another vaccine, but I'd want to stick a time limit on it if I was in the placebo group - and there's no real way to know when a trial would get to that stage! As the PHE lot are talking about a vaccine rollout in my age group during the first half of next year, that's quite a narrow window. Unless, as an ethical principle, they could unblind the trial and turn the placebo group into a "best approved vaccine" group and run the trial against that (rather than against nothing/placebo).I just dont know if they would/can without invalidating their work.

I know they're doing something of the sort in the treatment trials, so I'm curious as to whether they can (would?) apply it to vaccine trials as well. I believe Pfizer(?) may have already asked for permission to give their placebo group their vaccine, but I don't know if that was a purely hypothetical request (anticipating great trial results) or whether it got approved/rejected.
 
Nice breathing exercises and vitamin D is probably best. Keep the oxygen levels high and lungs dry while you can.
 
Only just heard about the mink outbreak (only watching CNN for 5 days) 17 million exterminated is crazy :eek:

It does show you how serious they're taking it though. Best to assume it's nothing for now for the sake of all our mental well-being.
 
Was working in Manchester yesterday when the protests were going on. Never felt.more on edge of catching the bloody thing than having thousands of the people that don't believe in it around me.

I've got a second shielding note so will be staying at home for at least the next 3/4 weeks now so should be safe if I managed to avoid it yesterday.
 
jojojo said:
Take it gently. Athletes are being advised to rest rather than to attempt to maintain physical exercise during the quarantine period, even if they've only got minor symptoms, because it's easy to overdo it and put more strain on the heart and lungs. I guess you're not smashing it that hard but I've read/heard that people can feel quite well but then suddenly realise they've got a problem.



Take it gently!
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Feeling good this morning. Going to take it easy for sure today. Last night was a little worrying.
 
90% sounds great..
the press release - https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

Upon the conclusion of those discussions, the evaluable case count reached 94 and the DMC performed its first analysis on all cases
The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose. This means that protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination, which consists of a 2-dose schedule.
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Does anyone know what happens to the candidates who got the vaccine first dose but tested positive within 28 days?

Does that number get thrown out? Or do they count in the 94 cases they evaluated? If they are counted, wouldnt that skew the efficacy data?
 
Zero signs of lockdown being in place in London. Pubs are openly selling beer in plastic cups with large crowds gathering to sit with friends outside. Food stalls are all open, as are markets. It’s a bit mental.

If it was single digit temperatures with rain that might change. Weather like this and there’s no way people comply.
 
prateik said:
90% sounds great..
the press release - https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against


Does anyone know what happens to the candidates who got the vaccine first dose but tested positive within 28 days?

Does that number get thrown out? Or do they count in the 94 cases they evaluated? If they are counted, wouldnt that skew the efficacy data?
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Good question and it’s impossible to know from that press release. These press releases always highlight the good stuff and gloss over the bad stuff but the efficacy they’re talking about is exciting.

Although the fact this vaccine needs two doses is a bummer. They’re talking about manufacturing 1.5bn doses next year. Which means half that number of people can get vaccinated.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
Zero signs of lockdown being in place in London. Pubs are openly selling beer in plastic cups with large crowds gathering to sit with friends outside. Food stalls are all open, as are markets. It’s a bit mental.

If it was single digit temperatures with rain that might change. Weather like this and there’s no way people comply.
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oxford st and piccadily circus were completely dead when i was there the other night, a few people around but nothing like usual. no pubs open. maybe out of central things are more lax
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Good question and it’s impossible to know from that press release. These press releases always highlight the good stuff and gloss over the bad stuff but the efficacy they’re talking about is exciting.

Although the fact this vaccine needs two doses is a bummer. They’re talking about manufacturing 1.5bn doses next year. Which means half that number of people can get vaccinated.
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The storage temperatures for these mean a lot of countries wont be using the mRNA vaccines. I dont think India has the infrastructure to transport and store them at the needed temperature.
China and Russia are doing their own thing too.. so 750m wont cover everyone who needs this.. but it'll be a decent chunk... Moderna will have one too.
 
stepic said:
oxford st and piccadily circus were completely dead when i was there the other night, a few people around but nothing like usual. no pubs open. maybe out of central things are more lax
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I can imagine that being true. Larger police presence there too. It’s a pretty guff part of London though. With retail closed you’re not going to have many people pulled from their suburb to go there.

Deptford, Greenwich, Hackney, Dalston, Brixton are all mobbed with people. This seen from Friday through to today.
 
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