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Delta Variant

unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com

31–40 of 442 posts

Re: Delta Variant

#32
Is seems kind of logical in hindsight: the first mutation of the predecessor bat/pangolin/whatever virus genome to cross over to humans is an MVP full of "compatibility bugs" that barely achieves R0>1. A few billion dicerolls later many of those "compatibility bugs" have found fixes.

Remember the hand washing phase of the pandemic? Aerosol transmission was basically ruled out because it was assumed that spread would have been much faster if it happened by aerosol. Turns out like it was aerosol all the time, just slowed down massively by all those "compatibility bugs" that are now slowly ironed out. Fortunately, our immune systems adapt as well (both individually and industrially, by ramping up mRNA capabilities and production)

Re: Delta Variant

#33
post #11

> I don’t think people are paying enough attention to Delta In the US probably. In Europe Delta has been followed closely even in mainstream media for at least a month.

Can't everybody get vaccinated in the US unlike the EU where you have to wait for your turn and can't buy vaccines? That would explain the difference

[deleted]

Re: Delta Variant

#35
I will say that on the vaccine front the data provided by Israel seems to be the worst results of the bunch, and while we can't completely rule out their results there is a good chance it's an underestimate of efficacy. Here are some efficacy estimates against Delta from other sources:

https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1414254993536786433

Highlights are (symtoms/hospitilization):

- Phizer: 79-88%/96%

- Moderna (one dose, not much data): 72%/96%

- Astra: 60-67%/92%

Re: Delta Variant

#36

Haven't read the piece but I have read a few things by this guy that made me panic. I don't know if he was right or wrong but he has a tendency to be overly bleak. Yes Covid kills, a lot. Also car accidents and air pollution kill a lot. I haven't gained anything from reading this guy despite all the good info, it hasn't given me any action items and I suspect a politician reading him won't gain anything either.

Why would anyone ever compare an exponentially spreading infectious disease with car accidents? They aren't even in the same realm of concern for public health.

Re: Delta Variant

#37
post #4

I have to admit, I'm a little perplexed about all the discussion around the Delta variant. It almost feels like people are discussing this like it's a plot point in a novel, a new looming threat that comes after Act II, rather than a cold scientific fact. As someone who lives in New York and has been vaccinated for months, should I worry about this? It seems like the answer to that question is no, I shouldn't. Also n…

If you are vaccinated, you're helping. But is there anyone out there that is not you?

Re: Delta Variant

#38
My question is why don't we have treatment? Yes we know vaccines are good as preventative but we also know that vaccines are vulnerable to mutations and waning efficacy over time. It's also somewhat burdensome to need to vaccinate all people all the time. Where is the research into effective treatments and why do we seem to prefer mass vaccination over acute treatments for the sick. Is it just much more difficult to formulate effective treatments or is the influence of capitalism pushing toward the solution that has the most customers and is the most profitable?

Re: Delta Variant

#39
post #16
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't everybody get vaccinated in the US unlike the EU where you have to wait for your turn and can't buy vaccines? That would explain the difference

In the EU for major countries you can get vaccinated any time, it's the same reasons as in the US some people just don't want to.

I've been able to book a time for vaccination for weeks now but the first free time wasn't until the end of July.

We're also about 7.75% ahead of the US when it comes to the percentage of the total population who has gotten their first dose, with the trend still being upwards. So I'd say that the problem isn't really willingness.

Re: Delta Variant

#40
post #16
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't everybody get vaccinated in the US unlike the EU where you have to wait for your turn and can't buy vaccines? That would explain the difference

In the EU for major countries you can get vaccinated any time, it's the same reasons as in the US some people just don't want to.

It's a bit more complicated. In France vaccination has only been open to everyone one month ago, (and those people − including me − only had one dose so far) and in the UK the waiting time between the first and second dose is roughly twice higher than in most countries, which means there's still a significant fraction of the population that just can't get fully vaccinated yet (my brother must wait another month before getting his second shot).
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