COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

[Emral]

Funny how children under 14 don't count but 14-18 year olds do.

If I were to guess, that's the cutoff point they selected for trusting a child or multiple children to stay home alone due to the parents visiting relatives where the numbers would otherwise exceed the limits. The cutoff point where this autonomy develops may differ from person to person and the level of trust in the child's autonomy may differ from parent to parent, but ~14y/o seems like a pretty alright number to make that cut. Plus the kids who're in- or entering their angsty teen phase will surely be delighted if they have an excuse not to hang out with their lame parents.

[Sonya Sanchez]

Starting on Wednesday, Bavaria will now be under a full lockdown any non essential stores are closed and no more going outside after 9 in the evening until 5 morning!

This is now for a full month, until they decide further restrictions taking place if the number keep rising which it does.

[Cedur]

Well I'm okay as long as we're still allowed to take a walk in the fields.

[ElectriKong]

The UK government has been talking about reducing the household gathering limit to 2 households over 3 days (from 3 households over 5) during Christmas due recent increases in Covid cases. To be honest, they probably should just ban households getting together. Protecting lives should take priority over celebrations (and restrictions weren't reduced for other religious celebrations). Also, having such low limits is likely to cause rifts and conflicts within families, since most span more than 3 households, and households that excluded from a gathering in favour of another household may feel inferior to other parts of the family. If households were simply not allowed to get together, then such conflicts would be avoided.

[ShadowStarX]

Has the virus really mutated in Southern England in a potentially more dangerous way than before?!
I'm mainly asking those living in the UK.

[Cedur]

asked my mom, she said it's 70 times more infectious but not necessarily more dangerous

[Panda]

The virus also may mutate but the chance of it gaining a positive mutation that helps it spread / make it more deadly is less likely than a random mutation that harms itself - mutations are complicated and not usually beneficial.

Well, well, well, if it isn't my own explanation coming back to haunt me.

The BBC has published a good explanation about the new strain here.

[Sonya Sanchez]

The virus also may mutate but the chance of it gaining a positive mutation that helps it spread / make it more deadly is less likely than a random mutation that harms itself - mutations are complicated and not usually beneficial.

Well, well, well, if it isn't my own explanation coming back to haunt me.

The BBC has published a good explanation about the new strain here.

Sucks to hear, especially now that the vaccine exists.

[Cedur]

Guess this strain is around long before it was detected and it might be the reason for the sudden explosion of figures everywhere.

But isn't it supposed that the vaccine still works the same?

[ShadowStarX]

But isn't it supposed that the vaccine still works the same?

Probable but unguaranteed.

On a somewhat different note though I can't believe some people still consider this virus a hoax, considering one can compare the average Q4 of the past decade and our current Q4 and there is a massive amount of excess deaths, at least in my country.

[aero]

https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/1 ... algorithm/

Meanwhile in hell country, Stanford put together an "algorithm" that just happened to prioritize administrators instead of just using a random distribution. Politicians are getting it first, and racial tests contrary to what the WHO recommends for the second phase of vaccination are coming up. Oh and the skepticism has not gone away and if anything has intensified.

[ShadowStarX]

Welp
I know that the vaccine is likely to handle this variant and also that the relative death rate isn't higher but the fact that's more infective is enough of a concern in itself.
I really hope that high schools aren't reopening over here and that people won't have house parties on New Year's Eve.

[Cedur]

Only good news on New Years Eve is that it's gonna be a calm one for my dog bc fireworks are banned

[aero]

[ShadowStarX]

Does the new COVID variant really affect children and young adults more severely than the most common one?

As in that case, it'd be crucial to close even middle schools, not just highs, college and uni.

[kr4k1n]

Does the new COVID variant really affect children and young adults more severely than the most common one?

As in that case, it'd be crucial to close even middle schools, not just highs, college and uni.

In that case, my school district would do well to keep schools closed and students at home, they're really trying to have us back at school by spring.

[ElectriKong]

So, the new variant originating in the south-east may be have a higher mortality rate, according to Boris.

[Panda]

So, the new variant originating in the south-east may be have a higher mortality rate, according to Boris.

imagine the risk if they sent kids to school for a day



oh wait

[Cedur]

btw due to this variant (and the quite advanced spread overall), the situation also won't be relaxed just from change of seasons like last year. If Germany doesn't take care, it might get not "just" 20,000 but 100,000 cases per day IN SUMMER

[aero]

Everyone but West Virginia is screwing up distribution.