Episode Details

Expert predictions rapidly fail, need always to keep up to date with the latest real world situation. Science must be constantly corrected to be consistent with external objective reality. Symptomatic covid https://health-study.joinzoe.com/data US https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html?campaign_id=185&emc=edit_yct_20220718&instance_id=66928&nl=coronavirus-tracker®i_id=110300449&segment_id=98826&te=1&user_id=0b87b8c1eea981ec0514047bbfa553ca Evolutionary driver Was Increased transmission advantage Alpha, Delta Now Immune escape Omicrons, BA.1 BA.2 BA.4/5 BA.2.75 Ability to reinfect even those recently vaccinated or infected Australian Health Protection Principal Committee https://www.health.gov.au/committees-and-groups/australian-health-protection-principal-committee-ahppc https://www.health.gov.au/news/ahppc-statement-on-covid-19-winter-update-and-ongoing-health-protection-measures-to-support-our-community Reinfections may occur as early as 28 days after recovery, People who test positive to COVID-19 more than 28 days after ending isolation due to previous infection should be reported and managed as new cases. BA.4 and BA.5 associated with increased immune escape, rates of reinfection rise among previously infected, and those up to date with their vaccinations Vaccination continues to be the most important protection against severe illness English school attendance 19% of secondary pupils absent, 8% of teachers off work NHS 6 July, 26,874 NHS staff off Acute and long covid Stephen Kissler, epidemiologist, Harvard https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/17/unexpected-changing-waves-covid-seasonal The way that the pandemic has played out and is continuing to play out is unexpected We’d expected strong seasonal wintertime patterns where you don’t see a lot outside those winter months I would’ve thought it would have reached a steady state by now It seems the opposite is the case Prof Peter Openshaw, immunologist, Imperial College London They are actually becoming more frequent, with one piling in on top of the other If we let nature follow its course, we will, reach some sort of equilibrium But it may mean coexisting at a lower level of overall health Prof Tim Cook, anaesthesia In many settings, Covid is an inconvenience now, rather than a threat to life, but it continues to have a significant impact in healthcare From a healthcare perspective, the pandemic is not over Adam Finn, professor, paediatrics, University of Bristol (UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) We’ve more or less given up on the idea of mass immunisation to control the spread of infection. Vaccinating everyone every three months is just not feasible. Variant-proof vaccine Pan-coronavirus vaccine Nasal vaccine https://www.principletrial.org/news/the-principle-trial-two-years-on favipiravir and ivermectin, still being studied in the trial.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices