Tim, your mum must be incredibly proud of you. I hope you get to visit and hug her really soon. And as always thankyou for the evidence based information/ update. Looking forward to supporting ongoing health research.
People fail to see the real reason for this deference of seeing one's older relatives! It is so the authority can do anything they like with them, without the worry of any interference from concerned friends or relatives! God knows how many have perished simply because of this dynamic? There is nothing laudable about it whatsoever!
Andrew you seem to forget people do phone and video call their relatives, if there were any problems with them you wouldnt hesitate in going round to the home and causing hell!
@@jaxworld4490 Oh please, that's extremely naive, with respect! That is not what has been happening at all, many many elderly have effectively been culled, and it had zero to do with any illness! I know every situation is different, but let us be honest if their relatives were so concerned? Then, they simply wouldn't be in such places, to begin with!
@@jaxworld4490 Let's remember, we're not just talking about care??? homes specifically. Or indeed just elderly people, we're also talking about the dreadful NHS, which disallowed any visitation of relatives, and any advocate that a person might have had to prevent malpractice which is rife!
@@jaxworld4490 Just another point, of course, the elderly are all tech wizards, aren't they? Most don't know one end of a phone from another, let alone video calls! Most would have been so doped up on Midazolam, they wouldn't know what day it was? Which is effectively what killed many of them both in care homes and hospitals, young and old people alike.
"Behave responsibly" - and therein lies the problem. People need that defining for them. "Getting back to normal" isnt the same as "behaving responsibly".
Serious point about the voting for priorities for other studies: the "leader" (heart disease) comes top of the list, when you go to vote, and the instructions sort of encourage clicking that one. When I looked further at the page it had just landed me on, I saw there were other options, and I then changed my vote for one of the other options. Unless you randomise the order when you present users with these options, I don't think this is a valid poll.
Thank you once again Tim, so happy for you that you get to see your mum properly, made me smile. Thank you for giving us the good and the bad in a way that we can understand. Take care and keep up the good work Zoe team xx
You haven’t mentioned about long covid rates for a long time. I know we need to get back to normal life, but what about the risks of long covid? It’s not just hospitalisation, deaths and recoveries. People have been “recovered” but young previously healthy people have been unable to live a normal life or work for months/years. I wish the app would contain more information and help on researching this as well.
@@Babyfundyvoice I think there's a lack of data about people with "medium impact" long covid - ie more than loss of smell, less than complete debilitation. Anecdotal evidence includes a number of young (
Well tim we are doing great in Denmark, all restrictions are lifted on the 1. of feb despite new daily recordbreaking case numbers, but icus are nearly empty, natural immunity is high since theres almost no people left to infect and our government more or less declared "pandemic is over" yesterday. We still gonna test for surveillance, but its no longer a must do scenario. BA.2 very mild indeed... Good Luck
If u appreciate being lied to every week ,this is the place to come. If u want real data,try the ONS or HSA , not Tim's fantasy covid league. Each to their own I guess
Thank you Prof Spector- interesting that the Omicron cases are climbing again, expected with children returning to school.. As you said, we must learn to live with it and act responsibly. Noted. Appreciate the weekly bulletins you and your team collate - that for me is the source of data I listen to. I avoid the media as too confusing.
So South Sfrica has both lower vaccination rates with lower positive tests and much lower hospitalisations. Does that show a inverse correlation between vaccine and covid?
Thank you and I really hope your mum’s care home will take note of your views . It’s gone on too long now and elderly people need the balance of mental and physical welfare.
Regarding BA.2, rising share of a given variant doesn't necessarily mean intrinsically more transmissible, it might mean more evasive of whatever immunity is in the population.
Right, but “transmissibility” in the public domain does not mean the same as in the virology domain. Good luck trying to convince people that no variant has proven to be more transmissible than others so far.
@@marilynshepherd6480 God gave us an immune system to deal with pathogens. Suppose the question is why have people taken the vaxx to try gain immunity? Probably because they are unimformed, greedy and selfish and wanted to go on holiday.
In my part of Canada, Manitoba, the official rules have been changed to that PCR tests are only given to people who may be eligible for drug or antibody treatment if positive for covid. The great mass of testing now is lateral flow and none of those positives go into our statistics. They realize this means our case numbers are now even wildly inaccurate*, but they do not want to waste PCR tests on people who are very very unlikely to need treatment. They want to keep the turnaround time for PCR tests for those who would be eligible for treatment below 24 hours even on weekends and holidays. * Before our statistics were only inaccurate because most people under 40 didn't bother getting tested unless their covid symptoms were severe or their occupation (healthcare or education) demanded it.
I'm in Ontario and I find that I am embarrassed having to tell people in other countries that we can't get tested if we have symptoms and are not in those select groups. In the UK and the States they are widely available to take home.
@@bchollis1451 really? I don't know why it's so hard for them to get these things. It's like the masks and sanitizer at the beginning. At least then they didn't know about this virus. But they've had two years now to get these test kits manufactured. What is the problem???
9:00 Is "it [Omicron] most prevalent in Demark" or is it actually that Denmark is the only other country that does a credible job of tracking and searching for new variants? (Second country besides the UK.)
What is a re-infection. Is it catching the same variant more than once or catching more than one variant ? If the latter how would any one know as the variant is not reported to individuals who test positive.
Thanks for the update. Is there any information showing if reinfections are more milder each time or can it get worse? (In people without any immune system problems as that could make a difference). Thanks
Hello, currently have Covid and it's a re-infection - my first confirmed infection was Christmas 2020, suspect might have had a dose in February 2020 too, but obviously can't be sure. Whatever I had in February was worse than a cold and symptoms were much more like Covid than flu. It was also worse than what I had in Dec 2020 and, so far, what I currently have. My reinfection is despite being triple vaxxed. A few questions: 1. Will you be able to split your reinfection data into those who are and are not fully vaccinated? 2. Over time, will you be able to analyse of the reinfections which are likely to be of the same variant v a different one? Am curious to know if having had Omicron I am less likely to get that again, although if that mutuation you mentioned takes over I guess that ceases to matter! 3. We are told Omicron is really infectious. I suspect I caught on a weekend away with a friend who I went to all the same places with, shared a bedroom with and a car journey of a few hours - but she hasn't caught it (she tests v dilgently). Is there any insight into common features other than vaccination status (where we are the same) of people that are less likely to catch when they come into contact with it? My boyfriend didn't appear to catch from me when we were together all of last Christmas either (lateral flow tests weren't available, he had no symptoms). 4. I don't want to continue to live the very restricted life I have been living (e.g. working from home, restricting social contact etc.), but I don't fancy repeated infections either - anything beyond the normal covid precautions I can do to reduce the risk? Am guessing diet is key??
@@amiesparkle00 I wore a mask where I was required to - but we went out to dinner, to a spa and to a social dance (i.e. me dancing not watching a dance show) - impossible to do that all masked up. Infection rate was about the same as in London where I live.
@@estellehowell4414 I guess it boils down to exactly how important is it that you don’t get Covid. There’s a lot of space between working from home and doing nothing and going away and doing all the things you did that exposed you. Sounds like you did a lot of risky stuff in the middle of substantial transmission rates. So, only you can determine if it was worth it or could you have still gone and maybe taken more precautions and done different activities.
@@amiesparkle00 I take your point, but my question was in the context of having done all those activities in the company of a friend who did the same activities as me and was often in close proximity to me, and yet she didn't get covid. Meaning there's clearly more to this than just what activities you actually do, and also more to this than vaccine status as we are both triple vaxxed.
@@estellehowell4414 it’s true there are other variables such as viral load, genetics, strength of immune system etc. Since you have now had it twice I would suspect that for whatever reason, you are more vulnerable than average. So then the question becomes, is it worth it to live more “freely” knowing you have a higher risk?
Thanks for the information just a shame our government doesnt take you're information as seriously. I've got two family members with underline health issues. Everytime a variant comes it gives me alot of concern.
Hi Tim, Dr Campbell had a great video with immunologist Professor Robert Clancy about our Two separate immune systems. Omicron is a Mucosal Immune System Compartment disease not a Systemic Immune System disease. So which immune system are you referring to.
You can't help but think that this whole thing has been staged by the five eye countries when this is the first time Mr Robert Clancy has been interviewed on John's channel. Mr Clancy developed a vaccine yet here in Australia he is regarded by MSM as a antivaxxer, that's how messed up Australia is. Omicron has blown the vaccine manufacturers and their 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th doses out of the water. The total lack of post covid treatment and research is going to be worse than the virus. You hear reports of covid-19 staying in your system for up to six months, yet we are being told to continually get RAT tests, WHY? The Australian government will tomorrow announce that a vaccinated person will be one who has had 3 doses. Take care Gary 🙂
Read up on Yale Immunologist Dr Akiko Iwasaki. Finding loss of brain cells in even mild respiratory cases noticed after 7 days. There's a lot more to covid than a cough sore throat, gastrointestinal problems, etc.
@@notsogreen Perhaps our synapses aren’t joining up because of this endless trauma and that’s affecting brain cell decay. We’re pointing at Covid as the cause of everything because it’s the greatest funding opportunity for researchers. If the funding stops research will flow back to its normal focuses. It was once said that putting the term “Climate Change” in any academic research proposal significantly increased the chances of success and funds.
Tim, in terms of reinfection, can you clarify whether one can get reinfected with the SAME variant, or does it usually (always?) need to be a different strain?
Reinfection can and does occur withe the same variant. There was a short period when the Delta and Omicron variants had high prevalence in the UK. The (forward) protection offered by Delta was low and the (backward) protection offered by Omicron was high, at least 3 : 1 in favour of Omicron. There was little opportunity to gather in vivo data, because Omicron became dominant very quickly. However there was sufficient to validate in vitro studies.
You may get reinfected but the reaction will be massively reduced. My son caught delta and was mild but noticeable symptoms, fever, cough etc. He also caught omicron (from me) but no symptoms at all second time around.
Thanks for all the information. Have been watching and reporting since the beginning. Have you got a clear idea of the false negative rates for both the PCR and lateral flow tests? Thanks.
Thanks for your information as always. One question though: What does "excess deaths in January were not more than you would expect in an average winter" mean? In my understanding excess deaths are more than the average, so one more death than average would be one excess death and since you expect the average, that would be one more than expected. So were there zero excess deaths or do I miss something here?
So the 5 year average - is an average, so there are 50% years above and 50% below. You therefore also need to take in the "range of normal" which is usually a standard deviation - and therefore if it is within that you don't worry that the statistic is out of the normal. (This is purely on statistics and not to say that each death isn't avoidable).
From data up until the 14th of January, there has been fewer deaths than the average, for that period. However, that period does, I believe, include 2021, when there were many excess deaths.
Not easy to calculate excess deaths when 1,500 died a day before covid. I've said this before but the total deaths in the uk are less than half the population of Hillingdon approximately (320,000) where I live. It has to be put in context.
@@lionbrad69 there were excess deaths in 2021 but deaths were very low from 2008-2020. All the years from 1990-2008 had a higher death rate than 2021! (Why didn't we lock down all those years) We had a lot of mild winters and not much flu most of the people that died in the pandemic were always going to get killed by the next bad flu.
The infants school local to us has over 50 kids off with it and 12 teachers, however not all of those parents are reporting the positive lateral flows so I'd imagine that the positive rates for kids age group will be underrepresented .
Thanks Tim. Each day I log on I look at the cases in my area which according to your graph have been steadily decreasing. In fact the opposite is true. Bedford has been steadily increasing for a while and has the 3rd highest cases in England. I appreciate your figures are gleaned from those of us who report but I feel they should be adjusted according to the actual figures.
Is the greater number of hospitalisation in the USA due to their health provision being insurance lead? Are doctors more likely to hospitalise people if there is pecuniary advantage?
No. It's no easy to get hospitalized in USA. You need to be blue in the face. A pulse ox of 88 won't get you hospitalized, just sent home with a inhaler and steroids as my friend's father, 65 yo diabetic, hypertension, overweight found out yesterday in a NY hospital. Sick for 2 weeks.
@@notsogreen Yah jesting, in Singapore a pulse oximeter of 88 and age of 65 with significant comorbities will get you supportive Oxygen therapy of somekind. What up with your MICU are they running hot. Surely you Federal or state governments would have added additional MICU beds for you know emergencies like Covid surges. Isn't Prez Biden voted in to handle Rona much better or suppose to handle it much better then Prez Trump. Why have you lot not activate the Defence Production Act & ramp up production of everything including the only remaining antibody threapy that works against Omicron.
They want you to die with covid in the US hospitals read up on it the US hospitals are getting big bucks from the government for every covid death.thats why their not giving early treatment
What hope can you offer to people who are immunosuppressed and the 6,000 or so in the UK whose immune systems are deficient and do not make antibodies, even after 4 doses of vaccine. I really appreciate Zoe's weekly updates and the other sessions you are running. Thank you.
Keep testing keep the panic going .just keep him home from school.. and if he's had it he won't need a vaccine regardless of the pedalling for jab jab jab. Look at the newest research on natural immunity ..
Just for those nervous about your kid getting this . Our 5 year old and all her classmates and indeed nearly the whole school got the O over the last few weeks. No hospitalizations or serious disease , all parents on our WhatsApp group report very mild symptoms. Some like our daughter we barely knew she had it save for the test which was positive , a bit of a cough for a few days and one night of a temperature and that was it . Don’t panic !!, oddly hardly any parents caught it even though the kids were snotting all over them .
Ive got it now no cough sore throat or runny nose. Shivvers, a few aches and 1 night of hot flushes and night sweats.. I'm unvx'd and I slept most of day 1 but haven't been tired on day 2 or 3.
Vaccin only may protect venerable , everyone do not need vaccine . It is not pandemic of unvaccinated , everyone spread and getting just keep immunity strong
I would be interested to know the impact of long term mask wearing. I work in H&SC setting where I wear a mask for up to 9 hours a shift multiple days a week. Also wearing in shops etc. I find myself mouth breathing whilst wearing the mask, resulting in dry mouth and throat. Must be fibres being inhaled
Nurses. They have been wearing them 12+ hours a day for days on end over the last couple years. I mean, if you wanted a group to do a study on, that would be the one.
I work in the NHS and wear a mask about 8 hours a day. And I have asthma. I have not noticed anything unusual. Masks do not cause issues unless you are in a high risk setting and have fake FFP3 masks.
😔 🇬🇧 160 000 cases per day 😔 🇬🇧 11% increase from last week 😔 🇬🇧 1 in 30 have symptomatic covid 🇬🇧 🤔 1800 admitted into hospital with covid not necessarily from covid 🇬🇧 🤔 598 on ventilators, down 100.from last week 🇬🇧 😔 1700 people have died this week with -.not necessarily of - covid 🇬🇧 excess deaths down from previous years in January 👍 ------------------------------ 07:00 🌎 number of cases per country: some example countries 07:33 🌎 hospitalisations graph ------------------------------ 08:37 🇩🇰 20 different mutations to the original Omicron; 🇩🇰 now over 50% of cases; 🇬🇧 5% of 🇬🇧 data now; 🇬🇧 'new' Omicron will take over in the UK 🇬🇧 within a month; 🌎 does not appear to be more severe than the original Omicron -------------------------------- 10:15 reinfection rates 🇬🇧 7% reinfectiin rate 🇬🇧 1 in 10 (or 12) people, previously infected 🇬🇧 government currently does not count reinfections -------------------------------- 661 days since the Zoe folk reported that covid symptoms were different to the original 3 classic symptoms... and still the government has not changed its public 'service' information 🤔 💭 🤔 why ???? --------------------------------- 🇬🇧 recovery times from Omicron 70% within a week 91% within 2 weeks 12% within a day
Why does Tim no longer talk about Long Covid as a potential very big problem arising from high case numbers? We know that even mild infection can lead to debilitating Long Covid so there’s no reason why Omicron shoo do not cause it.
Prof Spector blamed the extraordinarily high US hospitalisation rates on the unvaccinated. But South Africa had much lower vaccination with much lower omicron hospitalisation rates. What's different about the US? Obesity and massive financial incentives for hospitals to take on and count anything with COVID.
@@maryconnor6173 Our hospitalization rates are uniquely higher than all other countries, not just SA. Many of those countries are older. What’s unique about the US? The financial incentives and, to a lesser extent, obesity
Are care homes investing in HEPA and ventilation? Are they providing visitors with ffp3 masks? The risk can be mitigated so families can continue to see their loved ones and reduce spread.
I think the biggest worry is 'brain fog' (both long-term and short-term). The biggest potential issue with cognitive decline is the inability to self-diagnose it. Often a cognitive disorder is only apparent to a third party. Prof. Spector, are there any studies related to cognitive degeneration amongst post COVID infections?
The 'brain fog' is an important issue. Sometimes third parties can also deny or misunderstand the brain fog issue. Even GPs can be very dismissive. There may be quite a widespread problem and an awareness campaign would help. There seems to be a lot of denial about this type of issue so I can't see much changing soon. There's a lot of wilful ignorance out there too.
@@markorchard2272 It depends on the third parties being aware but it can also be the person experiencing the brain fog self reporting. Third party awareness is very important here also - people will be helpful if they look and listen. Awareness and observation are important. There are some signs (as you point to) which would be helpful for third parties to notice and understand.
Hi there, the hospital admission numbers are the average number per day, and the ventilation numbers are the total number of people on ventilators. Refer here for all the stats: coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare
I still have a rash on the back of my hand, which has been there since my last vaccine around three months ago, I saw a pharmacist in December and told it looked like the same rash his sister had after the vaccine, advise was take antihistamines, which I've done, however still there?
It's too simple to say US has high hospitalisation rates due to low vaccine take up - Spain and France have very high vaccination rates yet higher hospitalisation rates than UK...
Could it be that the threshold for hospitalisation is lower in countries like the US where hospitals make money by bringing people in and keeping them there? In the UK there's perhaps an incentive to encourage the management of cases at home because the imperative is to manage limited resources.
Very worrying with such very high rates in our school and so many teachers needing to isolate. Education is being impacted despite the very best efforts of all. I don't know anyone who will be voluntarily ditching their face covering, I most certainly will not.
We had covid in March 2020 and then presumably delta in August 2021. I’m so worried to get Omicron because I was poorly both times and had long covid and chronic fatigue/neurological issues as a result 😞 just feel like it’s never ending for those who are susceptible to it
I’m like you. Don’t worry love. Think positive. I get hit hard with viruses often as well. This is my third round with COVID. Believe this one’s omicron. Classic signs and confirmed with test. The first time left me with some lingering symptoms for months, but with care, exercise, stress management, did improve 💯. Take your vitamins, eat well, rest well. Don’t watch media so much or at all. The stress affects your immune system. Have faith 🙏
I got hit hard by Delta too Gillian & especially with neurological issues. I'm being careful not to get Omicron, although I expect I will but not overly worried as Omicron isn't as severe as Delta, although it's still a dangerous virus according to the W.H.O. The fact that you've survived both viruses will mean that you have a higher level of immunity. Delta was bloody awful for me & far worse than any cold I'd ever had, even though a cold always gives me bronchitis on top of my asthma. Delta didn't do that but floored me neurologically. I wouldn't worry too much about Omicron or the new Omicron variant. If you can survive Delta, you should be okay 🤞
@@Pilky-Bs2Mc I had Neuro issues with the first wave. Omicron is purely a sinus virus. I have no concerning symptoms other than insane amounts of snot. Lol. It’s so gross. I wouldn’t worry about omicron.
Correction: Omicron BA.2 is not a chlild variant of BA.1 as suggested but a sister variant from a common ancestor, the genetics show, which both became more transmissible. Others like .Dr. John Campbell reports this correctly, here are the genetic details: ua-cam.com/video/YCyvyMpnBl4/v-deo.html BTW Another correction: BA.2 is not really a "newly discovered" variant. -> It was discovered already on 2nd December, 2021 (see the Video link above)
There's nothing strange or alarming about a temporary uptick in infections. We have a new omicron variant arriving with even higher transmissibility but no worse severity than original omicron. Of course, as a result, omicron will now burn through the entire population even faster, getting the whole thing behind us faster.
@@channelbree From the other replies, Stuart, you can see that many people WANT more bad news, even if that means it has to be faked. No point in arguing with them
The international comparison graphs continue to exclude Germany (until a few weeks ago Germany was included). When I noticed Germany had stopped being included, I mentioned it in the comments. Has Germany stopped publishing its data, if so what reason has been given? In the unlikely event you have Germany's data but have chosen not to include it in the graphs anymore then why have you decided not to? Thanks.
They’ve all had the booster. Best that they get omicron soon before the effects of the booster wears off so then they’ll have some natural immunity too. My 95year old mother in law was only ill with it for a day.
Thanks for informative updates Tim. What I’ve never heard about is incubation periods. Has someone who tests positive been infectious for several days before?
Is there any historical data available on Flu and Common Cold prevalence in similar age groups (to your presented stats) year by year ? How does Omicron compare ? We are, rightly, analysing the life out of COVID but how does it really compare to flu and colds ?
So much agree with your closing remarks, thank you. My mother is in a care home - very good and caring staff - which shut down for four weeks recently when one or two residents tested positive. This makes no sense! If there is a risk from other residents then clearly it could be necessary to cut down on 'communal' events, dining and so on, but there's no argument at all for trying to exclude outside contacts (assuming those individuals are not especially vulnerable) as there is LESS chance of the outside contact being infected than the resident. I do hope your comments can be widely circulated among those making policy in this field.
My adult son caught a confirmed case of Covid before he was eligible for the vaccine here in the US. Subsequently, he received 2 doses of Pfizer. The week he was eligible for his booster, he took the booster and tested positive again with symptomatic Covid 2 days after getting the booster. I received my booster of Pfizer 9 weeks before this and also got symptomatic Covid. Neither of us were sick enough to require medical attention, but both pretty miserable for several days (more than the two weeks for me).
I've heard so many people getting covid after a booster. Is there something in the booster shot that makes people test positive ? Or are people catching it in waiting rooms while they queue up for their booster ?
@@jir1969 Or has the vaccine itself weakened the immune system-allowing other virus's in. Or is the variant actually the vaccine? Would explain why so many are getting sick after their booster.
Thankyou Tim once again for this week's very interesting update not all good news but I think it was expected. But I do like the way you tell it as it is no rubbish as we hear from other places 😊
Interested to see where you sit on the hand-wash (which to most means the constant use of antibacterial hand soap) and the microbiom and how this is negatively effected by our obsession with cleaning.
In mid-December I developed symptoms highly suggestive of Omicron - severe sore throat, runny nose, fever (subjective), cough, fatigue and backache. LFT and PCR were negative but I'm sceptical. Do you have any updated information on false negative rates for these tests?
Check your info. I believe that BA.1 is not the original for BA.2. With so many differences, they must have split before entering the human population.
I wish we'd all just forget all this and get on with our lives completely normally. I can't help but think that the headline says "oh goody, here we go again".
I am going to Canada next week to see my daughter...finally. can I still log on and give my health updates when I am there Thank you for everything you are doing Tim and team
Going back some time, future studies included rheumatic and arthritic conditions but that area has been excluded from the voting list unfortunately. I'm somewhat sceptical, however, about voting - I see it as a psychological exercise to gain a degree of commitment from voters to then participate in the study chosen.
@@jfk9996 Sarcasm right ?... last check, the virus was international and eurotrash opinions were mostly based on jealousy over the US taking in their expats and creating the highest standard of living on the planet.
Many thanks, Prof. Spector and really great work from your whole team! 👏 Your updates give us such valuable data/ advice and information. My husband and I report daily and we are so appreciative of your research!
_Question: Would virologists be surprised if an Omicron strain exchanged RNA with the Delta strain?_ Conditions seem to be right for people and animals to get both strains at the same time. And for most (all?) types of viruses exchanging RNA and DNA is common behaviour. I too dearly wish that Omicron would be the last strain. But just because we all wish it doesn't mean that will happen. Wishes aside, what is the scientific likelihood?
Some are saying BA1 and BA2 split months ago. But if BA2 is more transmissible, how did it possibly stay in the background isolated for months and now suddenly it decided to come out of nowhere and overtake BA1? Doesn't it make more sense that BA2 came from BA1?
When talking about vaccination rates people should only now be considered to be fully vaccinated if they have had three doses of vaccine. The countries that are seeing the highest infection rates are the ones that have the lower number of people who have had three doses. All the anti-vaxxers will always claim that being vaccinated doesn't protect you and by describing people who have had two doses as vaccinated it encourages them to spread this kind of rubbish.
Which countries are you talking about please? Rubbish is coming from both sides of the vax argument. The evidence I've seen shows Israel and Gibraltar as the highest fully vaccinated countries, yet also the highest infection rates. The complete opposite of what you're saying. So one of us is talking rubbish. Where's your evidence please?
Into the evaluation one also needs to assess the individual in doing a risk analysis before giving endless number of boosters. The original argument for vaccination was to protect oneself, prevent the disease spreading so that we protect the NHS until we get herd immunity..........now the argument has changed after more has been learnt about the vaccine and disease. More boosters more spreading of new variants and so it goes on ........a global experiment to enrich Pharma and empower Big Government........the vaccine lobby has been weaponised ..........we do have to be vigilant and constantly risk analyse!
@@roslewis9923 The booster risks now pose crossing the threshold of acceptable risk in those who already have sufficient antibodies to fight any infection. A woman with Long Covid described, at length, her illness from repeated vaccination, which her doctor related to already high antibodies. It’s insanity to keep on boosting the healthy.
Tim, your mum must be incredibly proud of you. I hope you get to visit and hug her really soon. And as always thankyou for the evidence based information/ update. Looking forward to supporting ongoing health research.
People fail to see the real reason for this deference of seeing one's older relatives! It is so the authority can do anything they like with them, without the worry of any interference from concerned friends or relatives! God knows how many have perished simply because of this dynamic? There is nothing laudable about it whatsoever!
Andrew you seem to forget people do phone and video call their relatives, if there were any problems with them you wouldnt hesitate in going round to the home and causing hell!
@@jaxworld4490 Oh please, that's extremely naive, with respect! That is not what has been happening at all, many many elderly have effectively been culled, and it had zero to do with any illness!
I know every situation is different, but let us be honest if their relatives were so concerned? Then, they simply wouldn't be in such places, to begin with!
@@jaxworld4490 Let's remember, we're not just talking about care??? homes specifically. Or indeed just elderly people, we're also talking about the dreadful NHS, which disallowed any visitation of relatives, and any advocate that a person might have had to prevent malpractice which is rife!
@@jaxworld4490 Just another point, of course, the elderly are all tech wizards, aren't they? Most don't know one end of a phone from another, let alone video calls! Most would have been so doped up on Midazolam, they wouldn't know what day it was? Which is effectively what killed many of them both in care homes and hospitals, young and old people alike.
"Behave responsibly" - and therein lies the problem. People need that defining for them. "Getting back to normal" isnt the same as "behaving responsibly".
This is akin to saying drink responsibly, it's nonsense!
pretty much my one source for information now. No lags, no parties, just good old honest info. Great work Zoe people
Serious point about the voting for priorities for other studies: the "leader" (heart disease) comes top of the list, when you go to vote, and the instructions sort of encourage clicking that one. When I looked further at the page it had just landed me on, I saw there were other options, and I then changed my vote for one of the other options.
Unless you randomise the order when you present users with these options, I don't think this is a valid poll.
agree, point seconded
I agree, but couldn't be bothered to change my vote.
I changed mine to the dementia study.
I was added to the heart study. I would rather be in the gut study.
Thank you once again Tim, so happy for you that you get to see your mum properly, made me smile.
Thank you for giving us the good and the bad in a way that we can understand.
Take care and keep up the good work Zoe team xx
You haven’t mentioned about long covid rates for a long time. I know we need to get back to normal life, but what about the risks of long covid? It’s not just hospitalisation, deaths and recoveries. People have been “recovered” but young previously healthy people have been unable to live a normal life or work for months/years. I wish the app would contain more information and help on researching this as well.
@@Babyfundyvoice I think there's a lack of data about people with "medium impact" long covid - ie more than loss of smell, less than complete debilitation. Anecdotal evidence includes a number of young (
@@Babyfundyvoice Very true...
Well tim we are doing great in Denmark, all restrictions are lifted on the 1. of feb despite new daily recordbreaking case numbers, but icus are nearly empty, natural immunity is high since theres almost no people left to infect and our government more or less declared "pandemic is over" yesterday. We still gonna test for surveillance, but its no longer a must do scenario. BA.2 very mild indeed... Good Luck
Typically logical response from Denmark. Expect the opposite in the uk.
@@beno8983 a logical response is wait and see
If you have record daily cases how can the pandemic be over?
@@vivianwoodell1759 Less people in hospital than an average year, so now its endemic
When you enter shops are you wearing masks?
Thanks Tim and team for the weekly update, we really appreciate them.
If u appreciate being lied to every week ,this is the place to come.
If u want real data,try the ONS or HSA , not Tim's fantasy covid league.
Each to their own I guess
Thank you Prof Spector- interesting that the Omicron cases are climbing again, expected with children returning to school.. As you said, we must learn to live with it and act responsibly. Noted. Appreciate the weekly bulletins you and your team collate - that for me is the source of data I listen to. I avoid the media as too confusing.
Well, since it's just a cold then?
@@Babyfundyvoice Are you okay?
So South Sfrica has both lower vaccination rates with lower positive tests and much lower hospitalisations. Does that show a inverse correlation between vaccine and covid?
Thank you and I really hope your mum’s care home will take note of your views . It’s gone on too long now and elderly people need the balance of mental and physical welfare.
Regarding BA.2, rising share of a given variant doesn't necessarily mean intrinsically more transmissible, it might mean more evasive of whatever immunity is in the population.
Right, but “transmissibility” in the public domain does not mean the same as in the virology domain.
Good luck trying to convince people that no variant has proven to be more transmissible than others so far.
Good luck proving the existence of any of the nwo variants.
There is absolutely no need for the population to be immune, why has that nonsense taken hold
@@marilynshepherd6480 God gave us an immune system to deal with pathogens. Suppose the question is why have people taken the vaxx to try gain immunity?
Probably because they are unimformed, greedy and selfish and wanted to go on holiday.
@@whatabouterrr5729 "unimformed".
In my part of Canada, Manitoba, the official rules have been changed to that PCR tests are only given to people who may be eligible for drug or antibody treatment if positive for covid. The great mass of testing now is lateral flow and none of those positives go into our statistics. They realize this means our case numbers are now even wildly inaccurate*, but they do not want to waste PCR tests on people who are very very unlikely to need treatment. They want to keep the turnaround time for PCR tests for those who would be eligible for treatment below 24 hours even on weekends and holidays.
* Before our statistics were only inaccurate because most people under 40 didn't bother getting tested unless their covid symptoms were severe or their occupation (healthcare or education) demanded it.
I'm in Ontario and I find that I am embarrassed having to tell people in other countries that we can't get tested if we have symptoms and are not in those select groups. In the UK and the States they are widely available to take home.
@@Val-jn9cd Not 'widely available' in many part of the US.
@@bchollis1451 really? I don't know why it's so hard for them to get these things. It's like the masks and sanitizer at the beginning. At least then they didn't know about this virus. But they've had two years now to get these test kits manufactured. What is the problem???
9:00 Is "it [Omicron] most prevalent in Demark" or is it actually that Denmark is the only other country that does a credible job of tracking and searching for new variants? (Second country besides the UK.)
Denmark are the best in the world at tracking and genomic sequencing 😃
@@eloisepharmacist there's only 5.8 million people.
@@anthonyhulse1248 that does make it easier!
What is a re-infection. Is it catching the same variant more than once or catching more than one variant ?
If the latter how would any one know as the variant is not reported to individuals who test positive.
Thanks for the update. Is there any information showing if reinfections are more milder each time or can it get worse? (In people without any immune system problems as that could make a difference). Thanks
Hello, currently have Covid and it's a re-infection - my first confirmed infection was Christmas 2020, suspect might have had a dose in February 2020 too, but obviously can't be sure. Whatever I had in February was worse than a cold and symptoms were much more like Covid than flu. It was also worse than what I had in Dec 2020 and, so far, what I currently have.
My reinfection is despite being triple vaxxed.
A few questions:
1. Will you be able to split your reinfection data into those who are and are not fully vaccinated?
2. Over time, will you be able to analyse of the reinfections which are likely to be of the same variant v a different one? Am curious to know if having had Omicron I am less likely to get that again, although if that mutuation you mentioned takes over I guess that ceases to matter!
3. We are told Omicron is really infectious. I suspect I caught on a weekend away with a friend who I went to all the same places with, shared a bedroom with and a car journey of a few hours - but she hasn't caught it (she tests v dilgently).
Is there any insight into common features other than vaccination status (where we are the same) of people that are less likely to catch when they come into contact with it? My boyfriend didn't appear to catch from me when we were together all of last Christmas either (lateral flow tests weren't available, he had no symptoms).
4. I don't want to continue to live the very restricted life I have been living (e.g. working from home, restricting social contact etc.), but I don't fancy repeated infections either - anything beyond the normal covid precautions I can do to reduce the risk? Am guessing diet is key??
Were you wearing a respirator or a cloth mask? And do you know if the infection rate was high where you went on your getaway?
@@amiesparkle00 I wore a mask where I was required to - but we went out to dinner, to a spa and to a social dance (i.e. me dancing not watching a dance show) - impossible to do that all masked up.
Infection rate was about the same as in London where I live.
@@estellehowell4414 I guess it boils down to exactly how important is it that you don’t get Covid. There’s a lot of space between working from home and doing nothing and going away and doing all the things you did that exposed you. Sounds like you did a lot of risky stuff in the middle of substantial transmission rates. So, only you can determine if it was worth it or could you have still gone and maybe taken more precautions and done different activities.
@@amiesparkle00 I take your point, but my question was in the context of having done all those activities in the company of a friend who did the same activities as me and was often in close proximity to me, and yet she didn't get covid. Meaning there's clearly more to this than just what activities you actually do, and also more to this than vaccine status as we are both triple vaxxed.
@@estellehowell4414 it’s true there are other variables such as viral load, genetics, strength of immune system etc. Since you have now had it twice I would suspect that for whatever reason, you are more vulnerable than average. So then the question becomes, is it worth it to live more “freely” knowing you have a higher risk?
Is there any Long covid data from the Zoeapp?
Thanks for the information just a shame our government doesnt take you're information as seriously. I've got two family members with underline health issues. Everytime a variant comes it gives me alot of concern.
Thank you Tim, your work very much respected and appreciated. I hope you can see your mum properly soon. Best wishes.
Hi Tim, Dr Campbell had a great video with immunologist Professor Robert Clancy about our Two separate immune systems. Omicron is a Mucosal Immune System Compartment disease not a Systemic Immune System disease. So which immune system are you referring to.
You can't help but think that this whole thing has been staged by the five eye countries when this is the first time Mr Robert Clancy has been interviewed on John's channel. Mr Clancy developed a vaccine yet here in Australia he is regarded by MSM as a antivaxxer, that's how messed up Australia is. Omicron has blown the vaccine manufacturers and their 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th doses out of the water. The total lack of post covid treatment and research is going to be worse than the virus. You hear reports of covid-19 staying in your system for up to six months, yet we are being told to continually get RAT tests, WHY? The Australian government will tomorrow announce that a vaccinated person will be one who has had 3 doses. Take care Gary 🙂
Read up on Yale Immunologist Dr Akiko Iwasaki. Finding loss of brain cells in even mild respiratory cases noticed after 7 days. There's a lot more to covid than a cough sore throat, gastrointestinal problems, etc.
@@notsogreen Perhaps our synapses aren’t joining up because of this endless trauma and that’s affecting brain cell decay. We’re pointing at Covid as the cause of everything because it’s the greatest funding opportunity for researchers. If the funding stops research will flow back to its normal focuses. It was once said that putting the term “Climate Change” in any academic research proposal significantly increased the chances of success and funds.
@@notsogreen get a bloody grip. It’s called post viral syndrome 🙄
Tim, in terms of reinfection, can you clarify whether one can get reinfected with the SAME variant, or does it usually (always?) need to be a different strain?
Reinfection can and does occur withe the same variant. There was a short period when the Delta and Omicron variants had high prevalence in the UK. The (forward) protection offered by Delta was low and the (backward) protection offered by Omicron was high, at least 3 : 1 in favour of Omicron. There was little opportunity to gather in vivo data, because Omicron became dominant very quickly. However there was sufficient to validate in vitro studies.
Jabbed 27 X more likely to be infected. Natural immunity is strong no need to worry folks ignore him.
You may get reinfected but the reaction will be massively reduced. My son caught delta and was mild but noticeable symptoms, fever, cough etc. He also caught omicron (from me) but no symptoms at all second time around.
@@whatabouterrr5729
@@jimkerslake We can't help and save everyone and unfortunately not every is worth saving it appears.
Thanks for all the information. Have been watching and reporting since the beginning. Have you got a clear idea of the false negative rates for both the PCR and lateral flow tests? Thanks.
Hmm not interested in the false positive rate then ?
Thanks for your information as always. One question though: What does "excess deaths in January were not more than you would expect in an average winter" mean? In my understanding excess deaths are more than the average, so one more death than average would be one excess death and since you expect the average, that would be one more than expected. So were there zero excess deaths or do I miss something here?
Sounds like a shorthand way of saying that deaths in January were below the 10 year average.
So the 5 year average - is an average, so there are 50% years above and 50% below. You therefore also need to take in the "range of normal" which is usually a standard deviation - and therefore if it is within that you don't worry that the statistic is out of the normal. (This is purely on statistics and not to say that each death isn't avoidable).
From data up until the 14th of January, there has been fewer deaths than the average, for that period. However, that period does, I believe, include 2021, when there were many excess deaths.
Not easy to calculate excess deaths when 1,500 died a day before covid.
I've said this before but the total deaths in the uk are less than half the population of Hillingdon approximately (320,000) where I live.
It has to be put in context.
@@lionbrad69 there were excess deaths in 2021 but deaths were very low from 2008-2020. All the years from 1990-2008 had a higher death rate than 2021! (Why didn't we lock down all those years) We had a lot of mild winters and not much flu most of the people that died in the pandemic were always going to get killed by the next bad flu.
The infants school local to us has over 50 kids off with it and 12 teachers, however not all of those parents are reporting the positive lateral flows so I'd imagine that the positive rates for kids age group will be underrepresented .
I agree.
Thanks Tim. Each day I log on I look at the cases in my area which according to your graph have been steadily decreasing. In fact the opposite is true. Bedford has been steadily increasing for a while and has the 3rd highest cases in England. I appreciate your figures are gleaned from those of us who report but I feel they should be adjusted according to the actual figures.
The orange 33% bar in the recovery rates chart (at 15:13) is only 23% high.
The chart doesn't look correct at all. If those horizontal lines are increments of 10.
Is the greater number of hospitalisation in the USA due to their health provision being insurance lead? Are doctors more likely to hospitalise people if there is pecuniary advantage?
No. It's no easy to get hospitalized in USA. You need to be blue in the face. A pulse ox of 88 won't get you hospitalized, just sent home with a inhaler and steroids as my friend's father, 65 yo diabetic, hypertension, overweight found out yesterday in a NY hospital. Sick for 2 weeks.
@@notsogreen Yah jesting, in Singapore a pulse oximeter of 88 and age of 65 with significant comorbities will get you supportive Oxygen therapy of somekind. What up with your MICU are they running hot. Surely you Federal or state governments would have added additional MICU beds for you know emergencies like Covid surges. Isn't Prez Biden voted in to handle Rona much better or suppose to handle it much better then Prez Trump. Why have you lot not activate the Defence Production Act & ramp up production of everything including the only remaining antibody threapy that works against Omicron.
@@notsogreen does that mean then that the cases in the US are underreported @timspector
They want you to die with covid in the US hospitals read up on it the US hospitals are getting big bucks from the government for every covid death.thats why their not giving early treatment
Hope you see your Mum very soon Tim 😊 thankyou as always, excellent info from you and your excellent team 👏 😀 👍 xxxxxx
What hope can you offer to people who are immunosuppressed and the 6,000 or so in the UK whose immune systems are deficient and do not make antibodies, even after 4 doses of vaccine. I really appreciate Zoe's weekly updates and the other sessions you are running. Thank you.
My 11 old son had bit of a sore throat, a lot of vomiting and tiredness when he tested positive 2 weeks ago.
Keep testing keep the panic going .just keep him home from school.. and if he's had it he won't need a vaccine regardless of the pedalling for jab jab jab. Look at the newest research on natural immunity ..
@@shehas8chooks You're such a sweetie.
Early treatment could keep Covid hospitalizations down….. shouldn’t put all the burden on “vaccination”!
So very true but no money in pree treatment
@@johnmitchell8925 yeah, I know. It’s all about money, isn’t it?
Just for those nervous about your kid getting this . Our 5 year old and all her classmates and indeed nearly the whole school got the O over the last few weeks. No hospitalizations or serious disease , all parents on our WhatsApp group report very mild symptoms. Some like our daughter we barely knew she had it save for the test which was positive , a bit of a cough for a few days and one night of a temperature and that was it . Don’t panic !!, oddly hardly any parents caught it even though the kids were snotting all over them .
Ive got it now no cough sore throat or runny nose. Shivvers, a few aches and 1 night of hot flushes and night sweats..
I'm unvx'd and I slept most of day 1 but haven't been tired on day 2 or 3.
What about their teachers, in a classroom for at least 6 hours with 30+ children? How many teachers caught it, I wonder?
Vaccin only may protect venerable , everyone do not need vaccine . It is not pandemic of unvaccinated , everyone spread and getting just keep immunity strong
Some cannot understand that.
Not true.
A risk of 1 in 20 is too high. Happy to return to normal once the risk is better than that.
I would be interested to know the impact of long term mask wearing. I work in H&SC setting where I wear a mask for up to 9 hours a shift multiple days a week. Also wearing in shops etc. I find myself mouth breathing whilst wearing the mask, resulting in dry mouth and throat. Must be fibres being inhaled
Nurses. They have been wearing them 12+ hours a day for days on end over the last couple years. I mean, if you wanted a group to do a study on, that would be the one.
@@SaturdaySportsman absolutely
I work in the NHS and wear a mask about 8 hours a day. And I have asthma. I have not noticed anything unusual. Masks do not cause issues unless you are in a high risk setting and have fake FFP3 masks.
Many masks have been shown to give off harmful particulates and are unfit for purpose .we are in a no win situation .
😔 🇬🇧 160 000 cases per day
😔 🇬🇧 11% increase from last week
😔 🇬🇧 1 in 30 have symptomatic covid
🇬🇧 🤔 1800 admitted into hospital with covid not necessarily from covid
🇬🇧 🤔 598 on ventilators, down 100.from last week
🇬🇧 😔 1700 people have died this week with -.not necessarily of - covid
🇬🇧 excess deaths down from previous years in January 👍
------------------------------
07:00 🌎 number of cases per country: some example countries
07:33 🌎 hospitalisations graph
------------------------------
08:37 🇩🇰 20 different mutations to the original Omicron;
🇩🇰 now over 50% of cases;
🇬🇧 5% of 🇬🇧 data now;
🇬🇧 'new' Omicron will take over in the UK 🇬🇧 within a month;
🌎 does not appear to be more severe than the original Omicron
--------------------------------
10:15 reinfection rates
🇬🇧 7% reinfectiin rate
🇬🇧 1 in 10 (or 12) people, previously infected
🇬🇧 government currently does not count reinfections
--------------------------------
661 days since the Zoe folk reported that covid symptoms were different to the original 3 classic symptoms...
and still the government has not changed its public 'service' information 🤔 💭 🤔 why ????
---------------------------------
🇬🇧 recovery times from Omicron
70% within a week
91% within 2 weeks
12% within a day
Perfect!!
Thank you
Why does Tim no longer talk about Long Covid as a potential very big problem arising from high case numbers? We know that even mild infection can lead to debilitating Long Covid so there’s no reason why Omicron shoo do not cause it.
Doesn’t Port and Denmark have better testing infrastructure that most other places?
Thank you Prof. Tim for this update. Greatly appreciate all your teamwork
Reinfection ? I have in the past had the common cold 3-4 times in a year, reinfection in action, it is not just a covid thing is it?
Many thanks Prof. Tim and your team for all your weekly updates. Much appreciated and I hope you get to see your Mum soon.
Prof Spector blamed the extraordinarily high US hospitalisation rates on the unvaccinated. But South Africa had much lower vaccination with much lower omicron hospitalisation rates. What's different about the US? Obesity and massive financial incentives for hospitals to take on and count anything with COVID.
Demographics
@@maryconnor6173 Our hospitalization rates are uniquely higher than all other countries, not just SA. Many of those countries are older. What’s unique about the US? The financial incentives and, to a lesser extent, obesity
Are care homes investing in HEPA and ventilation? Are they providing visitors with ffp3 masks? The risk can be mitigated so families can continue to see their loved ones and reduce spread.
I think the biggest worry is 'brain fog' (both long-term and short-term). The biggest potential issue with cognitive decline is the inability to self-diagnose it. Often a cognitive disorder is only apparent to a third party.
Prof. Spector, are there any studies related to cognitive degeneration amongst post COVID infections?
No. There’s only cognitive degeneration in the experts driving this. Even Spector is throwing in caveats to the data.
The 'brain fog' is an important issue. Sometimes third parties can also deny or misunderstand the brain fog issue. Even GPs can be very dismissive. There may be quite a widespread problem and an awareness campaign would help. There seems to be a lot of denial about this type of issue so I can't see much changing soon. There's a lot of wilful ignorance out there too.
@@globetwig4401 If you have brain-fog (or worse, black-outs) ONLY 3rd parties will see it.
@@markorchard2272 It depends on the third parties being aware but it can also be the person experiencing the brain fog self reporting. Third party awareness is very important here also - people will be helpful if they look and listen. Awareness and observation are important. There are some signs (as you point to) which would be helpful for third parties to notice and understand.
Not sure if this has been covered before, but would it not be useful to have antibody testing?
People might not be so keen to get the mRNA jab that they are so eager for us all to have if it could be shown we actually have immunity already
When you cite admission numbers and vent numbers, are they in total or per day ??
Hi there, the hospital admission numbers are the average number per day, and the ventilation numbers are the total number of people on ventilators. Refer here for all the stats: coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare
@@joinZOE thanks for that. Your vent rates are very good given your population compared to Australia’s current vent rate per capita
I still have a rash on the back of my hand, which has been there since my last vaccine around three months ago, I saw a pharmacist in December and told it looked like the same rash his sister had after the vaccine, advise was take antihistamines, which I've done, however still there?
It's too simple to say US has high hospitalisation rates due to low vaccine take up - Spain and France have very high vaccination rates yet higher hospitalisation rates than UK...
Could it be that the threshold for hospitalisation is lower in countries like the US where hospitals make money by bringing people in and keeping them there? In the UK there's perhaps an incentive to encourage the management of cases at home because the imperative is to manage limited resources.
@@vivianwoodell1759 I agree. Good point (really difficult to get admitted to a UK hospital for covid, not so in the States)
Thank you. Monica
Thankyou , stay safe now
How many people would be on ventilators with normal seasonal flu?
Thanks Tim your a gentleman and a scholar
Is the any information you can share on omit and kids below 5?
Very worrying with such very high rates in our school and so many teachers needing to isolate. Education is being impacted despite the very best efforts of all. I don't know anyone who will be voluntarily ditching their face covering, I most certainly will not.
We had covid in March 2020 and then presumably delta in August 2021. I’m so worried to get Omicron because I was poorly both times and had long covid and chronic fatigue/neurological issues as a result 😞 just feel like it’s never ending for those who are susceptible to it
I’m like you. Don’t worry love. Think positive. I get hit hard with viruses often as well. This is my third round with COVID. Believe this one’s omicron. Classic signs and confirmed with test. The first time left me with some lingering symptoms for months, but with care, exercise, stress management, did improve 💯.
Take your vitamins, eat well, rest well. Don’t watch media so much or at all. The stress affects your immune system. Have faith 🙏
I got hit hard by Delta too Gillian & especially with neurological issues. I'm being careful not to get Omicron, although I expect I will but not overly worried as Omicron isn't as severe as Delta, although it's still a dangerous virus according to the W.H.O. The fact that you've survived both viruses will mean that you have a higher level of immunity. Delta was bloody awful for me & far worse than any cold I'd ever had, even though a cold always gives me bronchitis on top of my asthma. Delta didn't do that but floored me neurologically. I wouldn't worry too much about Omicron or the new Omicron variant. If you can survive Delta, you should be okay 🤞
@@Pilky-Bs2Mc I had Neuro issues with the first wave. Omicron is purely a sinus virus. I have no concerning symptoms other than insane amounts of snot. Lol. It’s so gross. I wouldn’t worry about omicron.
Loveing the book placement “ Glittering a Turd”😂
Correction: Omicron BA.2 is not a chlild variant of BA.1 as suggested but a sister variant from a common ancestor, the genetics show, which both became more transmissible.
Others like .Dr. John Campbell reports this correctly, here are the genetic details: ua-cam.com/video/YCyvyMpnBl4/v-deo.html BTW
Another correction: BA.2 is not really a "newly discovered" variant.
-> It was discovered already on 2nd December, 2021 (see the Video link above)
There's nothing strange or alarming about a temporary uptick in infections. We have a new omicron variant arriving with even higher transmissibility but no worse severity than original omicron. Of course, as a result, omicron will now burn through the entire population even faster, getting the whole thing behind us faster.
Why are you talking so casually about people losing their lives?
Shows your weak mindset frankly. The fellow didn’t say anything about people dying. It’s proven to be less severe can you not understand that?
@@channelbree Just look at the numbers in the United States. There's your answer.
@@channelbree Stuart, can’t you understand that “less severe” doesn’t mean “you can’t die from it”. You can and people are.
@@channelbree From the other replies, Stuart, you can see that many people WANT more bad news, even if that means it has to be faked. No point in arguing with them
The international comparison graphs continue to exclude Germany (until a few weeks ago Germany was included). When I noticed Germany had stopped being included, I mentioned it in the comments. Has Germany stopped publishing its data, if so what reason has been given? In the unlikely event you have Germany's data but have chosen not to include it in the graphs anymore then why have you decided not to? Thanks.
Thank you again, much more informative than the media interpretation of the situation in the country! Well done to you all at Zoe 👏
What can go wrong with opening retirement homes to omicron? It's not like retirement homes are where you find vulnerable people.
They’ve all had the booster. Best that they get omicron soon before the effects of the booster wears off so then they’ll have some natural immunity too. My 95year old mother in law was only ill with it for a day.
Thanks for informative updates Tim. What I’ve never heard about is incubation periods. Has someone who tests positive been infectious for several days before?
I think the answe is yes, but just 1-2 days rather than the 5-7 days for earlier mutations
Is there any historical data available on Flu and Common Cold prevalence in similar age groups (to your presented stats) year by year ? How does Omicron compare ? We are, rightly, analysing the life out of COVID but how does it really compare to flu and colds ?
I see you don't have data for Germany on your graph. Is there a reason for this and how does it compare to other countries please? Lynette
Please can you assess rates with three doses of vaccine as well as with two or none?
The recovery rate graph y axis appears not to have a zero origin but that is not clearly labeled. I was confused by that for a moment.
So much agree with your closing remarks, thank you.
My mother is in a care home - very good and caring staff - which shut down for four weeks recently when one or two residents tested positive. This makes no sense! If there is a risk from other residents then clearly it could be necessary to cut down on 'communal' events, dining and so on, but there's no argument at all for trying to exclude outside contacts (assuming those individuals are not especially vulnerable) as there is LESS chance of the outside contact being infected than the resident. I do hope your comments can be widely circulated among those making policy in this field.
My adult son caught a confirmed case of Covid before he was eligible for the vaccine here in the US. Subsequently, he received 2 doses of Pfizer. The week he was eligible for his booster, he took the booster and tested positive again with symptomatic Covid 2 days after getting the booster. I received my booster of Pfizer 9 weeks before this and also got symptomatic Covid. Neither of us were sick enough to require medical attention, but both pretty miserable for several days (more than the two weeks for me).
I've heard so many people getting covid after a booster. Is there something in the booster shot that makes people test positive ? Or are people catching it in waiting rooms while they queue up for their booster ?
@@jir1969 Everyone will get infected. Vaccinated people are less likely to end up in the hospital.
@@jir1969 Or has the vaccine itself weakened the immune system-allowing other virus's in. Or is the variant actually the vaccine? Would explain why so many are getting sick after their booster.
Thankyou Tim once again for this week's very interesting update not all good news but I think it was expected. But I do like the way you tell it as it is no rubbish as we hear from other places 😊
Thank you for the update Tim
In the ZOE app all the regional graphs show reductions in cases yet the national numbers are increasing. How does this happen?
All the best to your Mum, Tim
Prof. Tim Spector. About your mother ‘s care home… does the staff have to be mandatory vaccinated? And if so, how did that stop infections??
Interested to see where you sit on the hand-wash (which to most means the constant use of antibacterial hand soap) and the microbiom and how this is negatively effected by our obsession with cleaning.
As usual Tim great analysis. Thanks to you and all your team for all your work and being so balanced in your presentation of the data.
"So long as we behave responsibly" - exactly.
In mid-December I developed symptoms highly suggestive of Omicron - severe sore throat, runny nose, fever (subjective), cough, fatigue and backache. LFT and PCR were negative but I'm sceptical. Do you have any updated information on false negative rates for these tests?
Are you able to get a PCR? Will ZOE not send you for 1 after inputting your symptoms?.
@@Pilky-Bs2Mc PCR was negative (as I said) - that's the point. Not sure I trust it.
Check your info. I believe that BA.1 is not the original for BA.2. With so many differences, they must have split before entering the human population.
I agree, possible. However, it could also be caused by parallel recombinant mutations in (immunocompromised) humans after the zoonotic jump.
According to Dr Mobeen on youtube, BA.1 and BA.2 are both variants of an original Omicron strain.
I wish we'd all just forget all this and get on with our lives completely normally. I can't help but think that the headline says "oh goody, here we go again".
Kick the door in & give you Mum a hug. Best treatment for her. Thanks for posting, your analysis is always appreciated.
I am going to Canada next week to see my daughter...finally. can I still log on and give my health updates when I am there
Thank you for everything you are doing Tim and team
I continued to log in while in the UK for 5 weeks. Travelled from the US.
Thank you..that will be great
@@susanblamey398 you can change your location to a temporary one in the app
@@jofranks7825 thank you I will when I get there..I am nervous haven't travelled for so long now I haven't had to jump so many hoops before..
Thank You, Nice listening to someone who knows what they are talking about
You say that ventilator use is 100 down, do you have any data on the death/recovery rate of those on ventilators?
Going back some time, future studies included rheumatic and arthritic conditions but that area has been excluded from the voting list unfortunately. I'm somewhat sceptical, however, about voting - I see it as a psychological exercise to gain a degree of commitment from voters to then participate in the study chosen.
'Cases' are irrelevant. They are a product of over-testing. It's hospitalizations and deaths that matter, everything else is just noise.
Yes. When the free testing ends those feeding this paranoia won’t be so keen to contribute to this “research”.
@@brynleytalbot778 Yes and perhaps then we won't be viewed by our continental neigbours as an infectious pariah state.
@@jfk9996 Sarcasm right ?... last check, the virus was international and eurotrash opinions were mostly based on jealousy over the US taking in their expats and creating the highest standard of living on the planet.
@@alfrede.newman6626 MAD
Many thanks, Tim. You are the voice if sanity.
Where can we sign up for your health studies/research projects?
Hi long do you think you could be reinfected after having omicron ? Could it be weeks or months ?
Remind me.... if Omicron does not put people in hospital, what exactly is the problem???
Omicron is more likely to affect the unvaccinated more seriously.
Cheers. Zoe team. Have a great day! ☺
Thank you Tim and team Zoe 🙏
Is your App only for the UK?
Many thanks, Prof. Spector and really great work from your whole team! 👏 Your updates give us such valuable data/ advice and information. My husband and I report daily and we are so appreciative of your research!
_Question: Would virologists be surprised if an Omicron strain exchanged RNA with the Delta strain?_ Conditions seem to be right for people and animals to get both strains at the same time. And for most (all?) types of viruses exchanging RNA and DNA is common behaviour.
I too dearly wish that Omicron would be the last strain. But just because we all wish it doesn't mean that will happen. Wishes aside, what is the scientific likelihood?
Thank You for doing this - it is sooo helpful xx
My father was in a care home and getting in to see him was difficult for me. However I’m not sure if my father minded at all.
Dear Prof SPECTOR.
SIDE EFFECTS OF COVID JAB.
ARE PAINFUL JOINTS, OR ACHING JOINTS A SIDE EFFECT.?
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
Some are saying BA1 and BA2 split months ago. But if BA2 is more transmissible, how did it possibly stay in the background isolated for months and now suddenly it decided to come out of nowhere and overtake BA1? Doesn't it make more sense that BA2 came from BA1?
Seeing how there are no real inputs on the Zoe app, how do we join in on things .. ie: responding to daily heslth ??
When talking about vaccination rates people should only now be considered to be fully vaccinated if they have had three doses of vaccine. The countries that are seeing the highest infection rates are the ones that have the lower number of people who have had three doses. All the anti-vaxxers will always claim that being vaccinated doesn't protect you and by describing people who have had two doses as vaccinated it encourages them to spread this kind of rubbish.
Netherlands has 90% vaccinated and record numbers of infections. But I agree with you, people will never be fully vaccinated.
transmission is significantly higher in vaccinated group
Which countries are you talking about please? Rubbish is coming from both sides of the vax argument. The evidence I've seen shows Israel and Gibraltar as the highest fully vaccinated countries, yet also the highest infection rates. The complete opposite of what you're saying. So one of us is talking rubbish. Where's your evidence please?
Into the evaluation one also needs to assess the individual in doing a risk analysis before giving endless number of boosters. The original argument for vaccination was to protect oneself, prevent the disease spreading so that we protect the NHS until we get herd immunity..........now the argument has changed after more has been learnt about the vaccine and disease. More boosters more spreading of new variants and so it goes on ........a global experiment to enrich Pharma and empower Big Government........the vaccine lobby has been weaponised ..........we do have to be vigilant and constantly risk analyse!
@@roslewis9923 The booster risks now pose crossing the threshold of acceptable risk in those who already have sufficient antibodies to fight any infection. A woman with Long Covid described, at length, her illness from repeated vaccination, which her doctor related to already high antibodies. It’s insanity to keep on boosting the healthy.