New coronavirus in/from China

[mr brightside]

Since september last year i've averaged a cold per month, all with chesty components and lots of coughing crap up, but never had covid symptoms or a +ve test. I've now got symptoms of long covid, but without ever having had the disease itself. My lungs are lined with clear phlegm which i harrumph up constantly, and this rather spoils the gas exchange across the permeable membrane. I used to run a 19m flat 5k, but now i struggle to get below 21m and the feeling of fatugue is terrible. In the hills my legs burn up really fast on runnable climbs and sometimes quit completely dropping me to a walk. I'm 10% slower over any terrain or distance and any rep times deteriorate fast. I think all viruses now have covid DNA.

[PS_RalphW]

Lateral flow covid tests only spot 80% of infections. You may well have had covid and not known.

[mr brightside]

Even if i've never had covid symptoms? I've had a cough, but tested -ve.

Any predictions as to how long i'm going to be post-viral long covidy?

[PS_RalphW]

The official symptoms list for covid were out of date for nearly 2 years before being updated last week. A mild case of covid could be indistinguishable from a common cold for most of that time. You could have had it 2 or 3 times and not realised.

Long covid is thought to be symptomatic of long term damage to lung tissue, blood vessels or other organs caused by micro blood clots. Unfortunately, the level of tissue damage does not appear to match the severity of the initial infection in many cases.

[mr brightside]

Thanks. I've spoken to a virologist who says my problem is basically phlegm coated lungs.

[Default0ptions]

What on earth is going on with the ultra strict Covid lockdown in Shanghai? It seems wildly over the top compared to our now completely laissez faire attitude.

[PS_RalphW]

The level of vaccination in China is quite low, especially among the older generation who are vulnerable. Also the Chinese vaccine is the least effective of the widely used vaccines. Very few of the population have natural antibodies from previous infection. The omicron strain is far more infectious and just as deadly to the unvaccinated as original Chinese strain. The Chinese gambled that the virus would either be eradicated or evolve into a less dangerous form, and that they could keep it out of the country until then.

They now find themselves in a worse place than when the original strain hit. Their societal model is that the state will look after you if you follow the rules (at least in theory). A major pandemic would severely damage the government in the eyes of the people.

New York is having an upsurge in cases as another yet more infectious subvariant of BA2 gets a hold. Expected to spread worldwide

[Default0ptions]

I’m at the stage where I really don’t know what to do about this.

Keeping my dad safe so far.

I have no solution.

All the best to you

[PS_RalphW]

As long as your dad has had 3 or 4 jabs his chances are good. A friend of 93 recently survived with a few days in bed. All 7 members of the extended family got it in the space of a week.

[UndercoverElephant]

Only in America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2s0nB2VPvs

[Potemkin Villager]

The oral sex demon remix is pretty funky as well.

[PS_RalphW]

ZOE reports that the Omicron wave is finally coming down as the warmer weather reduces transmission. Still estimated 187,000 infections a day, 20,000 in hospital, and 100+ dying OF covid each day. It is still a top 5 cause of death.

Two new variants BA.4 and BA.5 from South Africa are present at low levels.

A report from the US showed that in 2021 half of all deaths on the 35 -45 age group were from covid

[Vortex2]

OHANNESBURG, April 29 (Reuters) - South Africa may be entering a fifth COVID wave earlier than expected after a sustained rise in infections over the past 14 days that seems to be driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants, health officials and scientists said on Friday.

[automaticearth2]

I had covid-19 last week. It was like a bad bout of hay fever I only knew I had it as a decided to do a lateral flow test. Without that, I would have carried in as normal. I guess the version in Beijing is much worse....

[clv101]

Firstly, it impacts different people in very different ways. From asymptomatic to death. Your milage may vary. Secondly vaccines are very effective at mitigating symptoms, but the Chinese vaccine isn't great and take-up, especially with older people is a lot lower than Europe.