The latest COVID variant has arrived. Some scientists are calling it "the Kraken." Andrew Nikiforiuk writes:
It has arrived in British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada.
The global spread of this variant, officially designated XBB.1.5, could deliver as much contagious grief as the original appearance of Omicron in the winter of 2022 say some researchers.
Kraken could wipe out and replace other circulating variants in this, the fourth year of the pandemic, and thereby create significant waves in many countries.
According to data from a bevy of COVID genomic watchers and independent scientists, XBB.1.5 started to break away from the Omicron pack and become a dominant force about two weeks ago.
It looks like the latest version of COVID could be particularly virulent:
Yale immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, whose research team has identified some of the biological signatures of long COVID, including immune dysfunction and low cortisol levels, is already worried.
She tweeted: “Please protect yourselves and others by wearing N95 masks. I am truly concerned about the #longCOVID wave that follows this infection.”
She added that she was “concerned because of the putative ability of XBB.1.5 to have increased capacity to infect cell types that express even lower levels of ACE2. This will increase tropism and possibly persistence in cell types that are long lived.”
In other words, the Kraken may cause more persistent disease.
And it appears that most of us have abandoned our defenses. Wisdom is in short supply these days.
Image: YouTube
16 comments:
Throughout the pandemic, we've seen that most people follow public health orders. Until public health authorities bring back mask mandates, many people feel safe without them.
People are notoriously bad at judging risk, which is why the opinions of professionals who have looked at the data are so important. Our public health authorities continue to avoid taking proactive measures to cut down the spread of Covid to avoid outbreaks. They react only to crises, and lately, not even then.
Cap
They do that, Cap, because they're afraid of the empty barrels that make a lot of noise but have nothing to offer but anger.
The message from our health minister out here in BC is to get vaccinated - we are one of the best vaccinated provinces at this point.
In light of Yale immunologist Ms Iwasaki’s advice about protecting ourselves and others by wearing N95 masks, I am baffled as to why we are not being advised to mask up in enclosed public spaces by our health officials as well.
I notice that other health officials have been avoiding the advising of us using masks. Perhaps it should be pointed out to them that the vociferous anti-maskers are in the minority. DF
Precisely, DF. There are other defenses besides vaccination. Masking is an easy -- and effective -- defense.
We have both had all five Covid vaccinations. We both wear masks in crowded places. In spite of these precautions we spend Christmas with Covid. We have no idea where we caught it. This bug is sneaky in that one can have it and spread it for several days without knowing.
There seem to be fraudulent N95 mask marketing. Sure it says N95 on the front of the box but in fine print on the back it says dust mask only; not for medical use.
Unfortunately, Toby, the fraudsters are having a field day.
@ Toby
I think, but am not sure, that N95 masks are particulate masks and not specifically intended for medical use.
Toby, I don't think fraud is necessarily involved with the N95 masks. There are N95 masks for different uses. The 3M Aura Particulate Respirator 9205+, N95, for example, is a dust mask. It is not fluid resistant and is recognizable by its blue straps. The 3M AURA Health Care Particulate Respirator 1870+, N95, is a surgical mask and is fluid resistant. It is recognizable by its red straps. I have both kinds, and other than the colour of the straps and the number, there's nothing to distinguish them. If you're a surgeon or nurse exposed to squirting blood and other bodily fluids, the 1870+ is the one you want. If you're running into the supermarket for groceries, either one will provide excellent protection.
Cap
I was not aware of the different types of N95 masks, Cap. That's important information.
Cap has confirmed and added context to the N95 issue, jrk. I'm grateful for those clarifications.
I watched an excellent interview about it that was very helpful - I summarized it here for easier skimming.
An excellent post, Marie. You're right. Our governments are sticking their noses in the sand.
Australia flood crisis: 'Once in a century'
except the almost the same scale of flooding happened there last year too.
Meanwhile in California ...
It almost seems like covid is just a part of our pending fin de siècle.
The covid virus is to humanity what the human-caused climate crisis is to our planet.
Mother Nature is taking her revenge, PoV.
Yet another, simple read, less than 4 Minutes
‘Best Texas State Covid Mortality Summers Ever ?’
Albertans would be wise to read this..
seeing as The UCP ‘installed’ Ms Danielle Smith
a Renowned Separatist & Anti Vaccine Advocate
��
https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0001173
"Multiple analyses identify a strong political divide over the acceptance COVID-19 immunizations and death rates, with vaccinations the lowest and death rates the highest in the conservative or “red” states and counties."
It's a story that keeps repeating itself, sal.
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