International COVID-19 Updates & Discussion 3

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1460850363486064641

Just putting this here regarding the debate about excess deaths and how many we can assign to covid-19.

 

[Paulsie]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1460850363486064641

Just putting this here regarding the debate about excess deaths and how many we can assign to covid-19.

At least the lockdowns have worked well in saving lives. At least we have that.

 

[SubtleBeast]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1460850363486064641

Just putting this here regarding the debate about excess deaths and how many we can assign to covid-19.

I would think that the 'response' to the pandemic would have caused a lot of foreseen/unforeseen excess deaths, ie. suspended/cancelled treatments.

 

[Paulsie]

I would think that the 'response' to the pandemic would have caused a lot of foreseen/unforeseen excess deaths, ie. suspended/cancelled treatments.

This was being dismissed all along. As if casualties from covid were far more tragic than those from other causes.

 

[Geoff.D]

Covid-resistant people inspire new vaccine tactic

Some people exposed to coronavirus didn't get ill. Now researchers want to use that in vaccines.

www.bbc.com

An interesting read for sure. Now, do we believe the BBC reporter? That is the question?

 

[Dave]

Is one not even allowed to point out, how inefficient the vaccines seem to be at slowing transmission?

To what point? It's been said over and over that the vaccine won't totally prevent infections but many of those infections will either be asymptomatic or mild.

Anti-vaxxers continue to go "but but but infections" when vaccines are preventing deaths and helping alleviate stress on hospitals.

 

[Dave]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1460850363486064641

Just putting this here regarding the debate about excess deaths and how many we can assign to covid-19.

This has been reported here for quite some time (I'm sure I posted about it months ago). There's a lot of criticism going around about the way the NHS have handled (or mishandled) the process of continuing treatment for other illnesses because of the Covid protocols they've put in place.

There are similar criticisms of GP's who seem far too comfortable to make most appointments telephone only because of coronavirus and are resisting going back to face to face appointments.

 

[AdrianH]

There are similar criticisms of GP's who seem far too comfortable to make most appointments telephone only because of coronavirus and are resisting going back to face to face appointments.

I heard on the news a few weeks ago government is putting a "scorecard" in place to tackle this where GPs need to have so many face-to-face appointments or face penalties or something. There was another article about GPs only working 3 days a week now. They have also been accused of being to quick to say to people go to A&E, we have experienced this twice already.

Lets just say my experiences with UK GPs has been extremely unimpressive.

 

[Dave]

I heard on the news a few weeks ago government is putting a "scorecard" in place to tackle this where GPs need to have so many face-to-face appointments or face penalties or something. There was another article about GPs only working 3 days a week now. They have also been accused of being to quick to say to people go to A&E, we have experienced this twice already.

Lets just say my experiences with UK GPs has been extremely unimpressive.

I've had some excellent GP's over the years but my current GP surgery is a disappointment as well, the doctor that owned it retired and sold it to his practice manager and it dropped in efficiency, now that practice manager has retired and sold it to the biggest idiot doctor of the group of doctors who worked there and even small things like repeat prescriptions are a mission to arrange. I'm seriously considering moving GP's soon.

 

[Paulsie]

To what point? It's been said over and over that the vaccine won't totally prevent infections but many of those infections will either be asymptomatic or mild.

Because the whole of 2020 we spent obsessing about case numbers, irrespective of how asymptomatic or mild they were.

 

[Dave]

Because the whole of 2020 we spent obsessing about case numbers, irrespective of how asymptomatic or mild they were.

And a fair few posters have been saying that fixation on cases is wrong now in 2021, especially where vaccinations are high amongst the population. If we want to remain relevant icu/high care/ventilator cases in hospital and deaths should be the discussion.

 

[flytek]

And a fair few posters have been saying that fixation on cases is wrong now in 2021, especially where vaccinations are high amongst the population. If we want to remain relevant icu/high care/ventilator cases in hospital and deaths should be the discussion.

Excellent thought.
Why are SA's hospitalization, ICU and deaths stats at their lowest since covid first hit our shores considering our vaccinatiin rate?

 

[Dave]

Excellent thought.
Why are SA's hospitalization, ICU and deaths stats at their lowest since covid first hit our shores considering our vaccinatiin rate?

I have no ideas of what those stats are.

Having said that, they weren't looking too good only a few months ago according to one posters experience.

This is complete garbage. I was in a private hospital during wave 3, and I saw first hand the lack of beds.

To give more details, I tried Olivedale first, then went to Wilgeheuwel where I sat on oxygen waiting to see if a bed came up. I was then fortunate enough to get a bed at Rosebank while others were airlifted to Kzn.

I then experienced full wards (to the extent that in the general ward, a psych patient was placed with us as there was no space anywhere else).

Nurses were working 12 hour shifts instead of 8. Doctors were working 7 days a week. The strain on the system was extremely evident - particularly when the looting and rioting happened, preventing staff from getting to work.

But yes .. it's just a narrative to scare people.

I could offer to scan my discharge form? The claims submitted to my medical aid? The bill for the ambulance that had to transfer me to Rosebank? The names of the paramedics that assisted me with the transfer who told me how many trips they're doing to Kzn to get people admitted where there is space?

If I honestly thought it would change your mind I'd do it, but it does seem you've made up your mind.

 

[flytek]

I expected nothing less than zealotry from you. You didn't dissapoint.
Here is the hospital death graph anyway.

 

[Paulsie]

I expected nothing less than zealotry from you. You didn't dissapoint.
Here is the hospital death graph anyway.
View attachment 1194852

It's as if the provinces that were originally hit hard, did not suffer as much 3rd time round. Remember the doom and gloom predictions relating to winter and riots in kzn?

 

[flytek]

It's as if the provinces that were originally hit hard, did not suffer as much 3rd time round. Remember the doom and gloom predictions relating to winter and riots in kzn?

Speaking of hard hit see the densest part of Cape Town.
Its almost as if something is preventing people from catching or dying from covid anymore...and that now applies to the whole country until a more infectious mutation has a chance of doing further damage to whatever percentage of the population isn't previously infected or vaccinated.

 

[buka001]

I heard on the news a few weeks ago government is putting a "scorecard" in place to tackle this where GPs need to have so many face-to-face appointments or face penalties or something. There was another article about GPs only working 3 days a week now. They have also been accused of being to quick to say to people go to A&E, we have experienced this twice already.

Lets just say my experiences with UK GPs has been extremely unimpressive.

The one we had when we moved over to the UK was useless.

Our current GP is good. Got me sorted for cancer surgery during the height of the second wave. 10/10 would recommend.

 

[The Voice]

The one we had when we moved over to the UK was useless.

Our current GP is good. Got me sorted for cancer surgery during the height of the second wave. 10/10 would recommend.

Private or NHS? Former seems like it's going to have to be my choice soon, as I finally got my referral appointment with a cardiologist after waiting for 8 months.

 

[tetrasect]

Excellent thought.
Why are SA's hospitalization, ICU and deaths stats at their lowest since covid first hit our shores considering our vaccinatiin rate?

Why were SA's hospitalization, ICU and deaths stats at their lowest in April?

 

[flytek]

Because beta, a less contageous variant, could not find enough hosts to sustain itself and it died out or moved elsewhere once approximately 50% had been infected by alpha or beta.