Covid wave started earlier than expected here

When I was at Newcastle Royal Victoria with my daughter on the 14th and 15th Dec, there was hardly anyone wearing face masks, there was no restrictions. That might change in the coming days/weeks due to Christmas.

Japan is currently experiencing its worst out break, since the pandemic the most deaths recorded in a day was 347 on the 3rd Sep 2022. Japan fully reopened its borders on the 11th October without restrictions, but the highest daily death toll was 415 on the 27th then 420 on the 28th December. The only thing that has changed in the last few days, Chinese nationals must provide a negative Covid-19 test on arrival.

 

Always remained mandatory in healthcare settings here.

 

Does anyone know what the current version is? Last I heard it was Omicron but that was back in summer.

 

New Covid variant 'running rife' in UK will spark surge in cases as flu explodes

 

We seem to be getting variants of the variant Omicron now.

 

I will continue to wear a mask in crowded areas.

 

They was saying this morning that they a struggling to get reliable information from China as to where they are regarding variants, as the way its rife there a new variant could possibly appear, and we will know nothing about until it hits us.

 

TBH not much of a surprise that Covid is still around - but in a different flavour. Problem is - if we hide and try and isolate ourselves from a new variant - the effectiveness of our jabs will get weaker as the variants move further and further away from the one that the jab was designed to combat. I reckon the safest approach is to let her rip - build up natural immunity to this new variant - so that we are better able to fight off the next variant. The days of mask wearing and isolation are gone. Those who are at high risk - they should be offered a variant specific jab. But other than that its business as usual.

 

After having Flu in November and Covid earlier this month I haven't fully recovered from a nasty Norovirus bug which started after Boxing Day. So if the first two don't get you the third might, there is a lot of non Covid viruses around.

 

How's the Covid situation in Canada @CanadianLori? we are going next June but over to the other side

 

Due to health problems I'm high risk and also have an intolerance to medicine, so won't be having any more jabs. I had the first two and was quite ill for a couple of weeks with both. From the start of covid I've worn masks and still do in crowded areas, particularly inside. I've never had covid.

 

We're hearing more about a respiratory virus than covid. They keep saying the number of cases of covid will explode. It will explode after Thanksgiving. Didn't happen. It will explode after Christmas. So far, not happening. It will explode after New Year celebrations. Time will tell.

Our big problem here is this respiratory virus mostly affecting babies and toddlers, has pushed the hospitals to capacity again and we just can't seem to get caught up with the backlog from all the covid push backs.

As of today, pharmacists are allowed to prescribe some drugs. Such as for UTI's, pink eye and other afflictions (total 13) so as to cut the number of visits to the doctor. They are going to pump that number up to 30 shortly. We have a lot of very stupid people here who think these minor ailments are worth going to emergency and crowding the hospitals. Hopefully this will help alleviate that problem too.

Some people are back to wearing masks but not a great number from what I see.

The only big health issue you might come across is having a stroke after seeing the price of groceries now!

 

See a few people wearing masks and if they need to or want to that is fine.
Its when they start telling me I have to that it all gets silly, most people are now treating covid as pretty much another winter virus.
I got the impression they are more worried about flu this year as they were quoting how many were in hospital with flu the other day.
I just think that now they have got into the habit of counting numbers and publishing them we will get this every year.