International COVID-19 Megathread

[jamestroll]

Germany is getting belted by new cases at an all time high.

But the mortality rate is not there. Clearly, vaccines are doing their job.

Sweden looking very good given the cold weather approaching.

Winter is coming.

GET VACCINATED NOW!!

[Yeahsayyeah]

Germany is getting belted by new cases at an all time high.

But the mortality rate is not there. Clearly, vaccines are doing their job.

Well, they do to some extent but concerning cases in ICU Germany is even twelve days ahead of the curve of 2020 with less beds and personal available and concerning 7-day-average of Covid-related deaths we are only three days behind. This clearly isn't pretty.

[Omega21]

Ireland, home to one of Europe's highest vaccination rates, imposes curfew on pubs and clubs as cases rise

Ireland has one of Europe's highest vaccination rates, with 89.1% of people over the age of 12 having been immunized

Ireland recorded its highest case number since January last Friday, when 5,483 new infections were reported. Deaths remain at a far lower rate than during its January peak, but are inching upwards.
The county also recorded its second highest rate of hospital admission in all of 2021 this week, according to Martin. One of the capital Dublin's main hospitals, the Mater Hospital, moved to ICU surge capacity on Monday and is now ventilating patients outside intensive care, according to state broadcaster RTÉ.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/17/europe/ireland-covid-curfew-intl/index.html

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

PM Costa just announced a series of measures for the next 2 months:

- Remote working will be advised after December 1st;
- Mandatory masks in indoor spaces;
- Mandatory certificate in order to enter in Restaurants, Hotels, public events with marked seatings and gyms;
- Mandatory negative test in order to enter in nursing homes, hospitals visits, public events and bars/nightclubs;
- Mandatory negative test in order to enter in Portugal. Airline companies who don't comply with this could face fines or lose their flight permits in Portugal;
- Christmas school holidays will be extended until January 10th;

- On the week of 2 to 9 January 2022, bars and nightclubs will be closed and remote working will be mandatory;
- Increase in testing and Parliament could vote on outside mandatory masks;
- Vaccines for children between 5 and 11 are ready and are wainting for a final decision from Health authorities;

[President Johnson]

100,000 deaths now.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1463770707276353545

[President Johnson]

Meh....

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1463910809675911174

[jamestroll]

I do not understand why countries just do not deploy their armed forces to force vaccinations? It seems more logistical than shutting the economy endlessly.

[Silent Hunter]

I do not understand why countries just do not deploy their armed forces to force vaccinations? It seems more logistical than shutting the economy endlessly.

Restrictions on the use of the armed forces to enforce domestic law for one thing; many countries have their own versions of the Posse Comitatus Act. Using them to administer those vaccines is perfectly fine though - army medics are trained with using those needles.

[jamestroll]

I do not understand why countries just do not deploy their armed forces to force vaccinations? It seems more logistical than shutting the economy endlessly.

Restrictions on the use of the armed forces to enforce domestic law for one thing; many countries have their own versions of the Posse Comitatus Act. Using them to administer those vaccines is perfectly fine though - army medics are trained with using those needles.

I do not. Deploy them now!  NOW!

The unvaccinated are selfish and foolish.

It is not "my body, my choice" its ing destroying society.

[jamestroll]

https://twitter.com/notesfrompoland/status/1463841112808906757

Excellent!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!

[CumbrianLefty]

Meh....

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1463910809675911174

What happened to that SCARY MU VARIANT that was in the news a few months ago?

[Omega21]

100,000 deaths now.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1463770707276353545

I prefer years of life lost, "deaths" just paints a distorted picture.

A 90-year-old hospice resident's death is not as tragic as the death of a 20-year-old.

I do not understand why countries just do not deploy their armed forces to force vaccinations? It seems more logistical than shutting the economy endlessly.

Restrictions on the use of the armed forces to enforce domestic law for one thing; many countries have their own versions of the Posse Comitatus Act. Using them to administer those vaccines is perfectly fine though - army medics are trained with using those needles.

I do not. Deploy them now!  NOW!

The unvaccinated are selfish and foolish.

It is not "my body, my choice" its ing destroying society.

Did you not read my post above?

Ireland has a 93% vax rate, it's fully vaxxed. In spite of that, new restrictions have been announced, and if it keeps going like this, they will again have some of their freedoms taken away.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

The President of the RKI will demand that Germany go back into lockdown today at an emergency meeting with Merkel and the Traffic Light coalition leaders.

Hoping they tell him to  off.

[Biden his time]

It looks to have a R0 of 35 and a case fatality rate of 10-25% as well.

Proof?

[Sir Mohamed]

It looks like the new variant is resistant to vaccines, so it's rather disturbing that it's not being covered in the news much.

Resistant is for sure not correct. It's likely the vaccines are somewhat less effective since they were "designed" for the orginial virus. It was always clear the vaccines need to be adjusted at some point; Pfizer said they can do so in a matter of 6 weeks if necessary.

At this early stage, there's not sufficient data for the new variant. It's concerning, though not the time for panic.

[Mike88]

Portugal update:

PM Costa just announced a series of measures for the next 2 months:

- Mandatory negative test in order to enter in Portugal. Airline companies who don't comply with this could face fines or lose their flight permits in Portugal;

The government has also confirmed that terrestrial and maritime entries to Portugal will also require a negative test in order to enter in the country. These meassures will take effect at midnight, 1 December.

[CumbrianLefty]

One problem is that scientific language about vaccines - a variant is "vaccine resistant" (this actually means in relative rather than absolute terms) or that "vaccines don't prevent transmission" (no they don't - they *do* cut down massively on deaths/hospitalisations, though) is twisted by certain people into "vaccines don't work". Something that is simply not true.

[jamestroll]

The President of the RKI will demand that Germany go back into lockdown today at an emergency meeting with Merkel and the Traffic Light coalition leaders.

Hoping they tell him to  off.

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!!

GET VACCINATED NOW!!

[Property Representative of the Harold Holt Swimming Centre]

It looks like the new variant is resistant to vaccines, so it's rather disturbing that it's not being covered in the news much.

It looks to have a R0 of 35 and a case fatality rate of 10-25% as well.

There probably ought to be a source provided for that. Literally the most significant thing in centuries if it turns out anything like that.

[DavidB.]

It looks like the new variant is resistant to vaccines, so it's rather disturbing that it's not being covered in the news much.

It looks to have a R0 of 35 and a case fatality rate of 10-25% as well.

If that's the case, it will stop spreading pretty quickly.

[President Johnson]

The variant already reached Europe, as one infection in Belgium was confirmed.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1464295295932588036

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Please stop spreading misinformation. Not much has been confirmed yet and speculation is not fact. And certain other claims are just flagrantly false.

[parochial boy]

Guys, it has an R0 of 7 billion and a Case Fatality Rate of 110%. We should seal ourselves in our homes and bring in the death penalty for going outside now

[Logical]

Poor old South Africa becomes pariah again but this time for being honest.

[Mike88]

Portugal suspends flights to and from Mozambique and forces quarantines for passengers from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia e Zimbabwe. Travel to and from Mozambique is suspended after midnight 29 November, while passengers from the other African countries in the list will be forced to quarantine after midnight tonight. Passengers who passed by the countries on the list, will also be forced to quarantine when arriving in Portugal.