[News] The Coronavirus Good News thread

[Postman Pat]

[Tweet]1294988757280620550[/tweet]

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

[Tweet]1294988757280620550[/tweet]

Followed the tweet to see if it was there. But can’t see where those 5 percent hospitals are.

 

[Postman Pat]

Followed the tweet to see if it was there. But can’t see where those 5 percent hospitals are.

Data is here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-hospital-activity/

Covid publication xls

 

[southstandandy]

Since masks have been introduced to do the shopping we've saved quite a bit from the family budget. Only spending on the weekly shop as the wife hasn't been on her 'weekly' trips in to town buying any old crap (as I would call it) as she hates wearing them. Win win. Ka-ching!

 

[ken tiler]

Not one for conspiracy theories.

But Leicester still being in lock down looks like it’s for other reasons than cases.

Most people who test positive for the virus dont develop symptoms perhaps. Or are these tests only being made on people of have developed the symptoms? If the former and more tests are being made then the only relevant statistic is one where the number of positive cases relates to the number tested, and not the headline figure. It seems the government may not have done this in relation to deeming France and other countries as requireing special measures,

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Since masks have been introduced to do the shopping we've saved quite a bit from the family budget. Only spending on the weekly shop as the wife hasn't been on her 'weekly' trips in to town buying any old crap (as I would call it) as she hates wearing them. Win win. Ka-ching!

I needed to pop into town on my way home, got there and people (correctly )in masks everywhere.

Just couldn’t be arsed to walk around in the shops with a mask so went home home and ordered online

The masks are putting people off spending money - think we will see a quicker recovery when the mask using is decreased.

 

[Mellotron]

Scientists See Signs of Lasting Virus Immunity, Even After Mild Infections

8/17/2020

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/world/coronavirus-covid-19.html

Scientists who have been monitoring immune responses to the coronavirus for months are now starting to see encouraging signs of strong, lasting immunity, even in people who developed only mild symptoms of Covid-19, a flurry of new studies has found.

Disease-fighting antibodies, as well as immune cells called B cells and T cells capable of recognizing the virus, appear to persist months after infections have resolved — an encouraging echo of the body’s robust immune response to other viruses.

“This is exactly what you would hope for,” said Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington and an author on one of the new studies, which is currently under review at the journal Nature. “All the pieces are there to have a totally protective immune response.”

“This is very promising,” said Smita Iyer, an immunologist at the University of California, Davis, who is studying immune responses to the coronavirus in rhesus macaques and was not involved in these papers. “This calls for some optimism about herd immunity, and potentially a vaccine.”

Although researchers cannot forecast how long these immune responses will last, many experts consider the data a welcome indication that the body has a good chance of fending off the coronavirus if exposed to it again.

 

[saulth]

^ I was about to post that one. Sounds good.

 

[The Wizard]

The evidence is very clear, that despite cases rising, deaths are not rising significantly anywhere and nor are hospitalisation. Targeted testing shows cases going up but as long as ICU, hospital admissions and deaths remain stable or lowering, what are we ruining our lives for now?

 

[blue-shifted]

View attachment 127231

The evidence is very clear, that despite cases rising, deaths are not rising significantly anywhere and nor are hospitalisation. Targeted testing shows cases going up but as long as ICU, hospital admissions and deaths remain stable or lowering, what are we ruining our lives for now?

Agree with you in principle. I think I'd just want to wait another week, see if there's a lag on the above metrics that's kicking in. If not, I think we need a national debate about why we're doing this

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Agree with you in principle. I think I'd just want to wait another week, see if there's a lag on the above metrics that's kicking in. If not, I think we need a national debate about why we're doing this

Most likely the majority of cases are a different demographic than the one affected by the earlier wave. If they are younger, it stands to reason that the hospitalisations would reduce. It would also make me cautious about the virus 'weakening' as older, more vulnerable people have either died or are now shielding. I think without a vaccine, we are still in this for the long run.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

View attachment 127231

The evidence is very clear, that despite cases rising, deaths are not rising significantly anywhere and nor are hospitalisation. Targeted testing shows cases going up but as long as ICU, hospital admissions and deaths remain stable or lowering, what are we ruining our lives for now?

My hope is that the scientific treatment breakthroughs - eg Interferon B etc. - have really helped reduce the death rate.

 

[highflyer]

Most likely the majority of cases are a different demographic than the one affected by the earlier wave. If they are younger, it stands to reason that the hospitalisations would reduce. It would also make me cautious about the virus 'weakening' as older, more vulnerable people have either died or are now shielding. I think without a vaccine, we are still in this for the long run.

Tend to agree with you. It's definitely looking positive, and right now individual risk out there appears very low indeed.

But without clarity on why we are seeing the trends we still need to be cautious, especially with the need to get schools back.

If it's a demographic thing (mainly younger, healthy, people picking it up, which I am sure is happening given observed behaviour) then I'd expect at least a bit of an increase in hospitalization over time as they take it home to their (older) families. There is also the possibility (with some evidence) that this is simply a nastier bug in cold weather - in which case we don't want things to rise too fast in advance of winter until we know more.

But really, it does seem we've worked out a way to live with it for a while, without 'ruining' our lives (wearing a mask when shopping and not going to the football for a few months may be a pain, but does not count as a ruined life in my book) at least in terms of managing the health side. As long as we keep infection rates as low as they are, even very vulnerable people, such I have in my family, can live a reasonably normal life without too much risk.

And as treatments improve (and they will) the balance tips further towards being able to open up more.

Sorting out the economic impact without ruining lives is another story, for another (political) thread.

 

[Mellotron]

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/

This isn't exclusively Good News, however this thread has absolutely become the go-to place on NSC for sensible, level-headed, positive readings of the current situation, therefore I feel it is an appropriate place for this.

The link above is to a chap called Derek Lowe's blog - he is an American who has worked for several major pharmaceutical companies since 1989 on drug discovery projects. This blog is mostly a commentary and summation of where we are at with the various vaccines and treatments, and I am finding it a useful and reassuring guide, and rather more informative than many of the articles written by people with no real understanding of the science behind the "good news"

 

[Mellotron]

Worldometers round up

Worldometers has had Current Serious/Critical Cases hovering around 65-66,000 for quite a while now, but in the last couple of days has definitely started decreasing - now at 62,000 approx. and continuing to move broadly in a positive direction.

The percentage of Current Serious/Critical Cases from all recorded cases is now below 1%, down from about 18% (I believe?) at it's worst in April.

Further pointing towards some combination of larger number of cases being picked up, more asymptomatics, possibly a weaker strain becoming dominant and/or higher circulation amongst younger, healthier people.

After a nasty period of growth, both Global Daily Cases and Global Daily Deaths are now stalling/starting to fall again.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Agree with you in principle. I think I'd just want to wait another week, see if there's a lag on the above metrics that's kicking in. If not, I think we need a national debate about why we're doing this

I think the lag period has had long enough ..but hey I’d wait a week if it meant something..I’m just not sure their is a willingness for a change

 

[LamieRobertson]

https://twitter.com/coronavirusgoo1/status/1295640462645178368?s=21

 

[Mellotron]

Agree with you in principle. I think I'd just want to wait another week, see if there's a lag on the above metrics that's kicking in. If not, I think we need a national debate about why we're doing this

I agree - or at least a look to further ease in a way that will help people's mental health.

I wonder why they don't look at announcing, say - "families no longer need to socially distance from one another". Realistically, the majority of families probably aren't now. Those who want to be absolutely "by the rules" will feel massive relief, and those with families with co-morbidities/existing conditions would no doubt choose to continue using their own discretion/common sense.

Something like that would help a feeling of progression through the pandemic whilst being unlikely to affect spread of the virus that much, IMO. I think part of the increase in people suffering depression recently is in part down to the whole thing feeling a bit endless, and like the Government is just leaving us to it now.

*DISCLAIMER - I appreciate this is the Good News thread, I am trying to make positive suggestions!*

 

[LamieRobertson]

https://twitter.com/cricketwyvern/status/1295649319794683904?s=21

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

https://twitter.com/cricketwyvern/status/1295649319794683904?s=21

Some of the stats guys are really starting to question sage/the gov now.