South African Covid-19 News and Discussions 3

[Academic]

Socio-economic factors. Some groups are more equipped to socially distance and keep clean compared to other groups. It's much more difficult if you're a family sharing a shack with no running water, for example, than if you're a couple living in a 2 bedroom house with full amenities. It's no coincidence that the poorest province has one of the highest death rates and now, highest immunity.

Is the family sharing a shack likely to be one of blood donors? This is an example of lazy thinking, grabbing at the closest politically correct thing to say.

 

[nivek]

Yes! The authorities are so busy protecting their backsides that they forget the fact that all these "delays" introduced while they argue about trials, test results, paperwork, peer reviews etc, are costing lives every single day.
Clearly, if we take into account the brief look we got into a session yesterday about emergency approvals for the roll out of the J&J vaccines we are supposed to receive today, that some very harsh and bitter words were exchanged. At least, we hope now this rollout will proceed as tabled and scheduled.

Exactly, these peer reviews, etc etc have already been done by others around the globe that are just as capable/probably more capable, don't know why SAHPRA feel they're special in any way
Under normal circumstances they can take their time and satisfy their ego's, but when time is of the essence, like now, they must take a backseat

 

[C4Cat]

Is the family sharing a shack likely to be one of blood donors? This is an example of lazy thinking, grabbing at the closest politically correct thing to say.

Actually it's nothing to do with being politically correct. It is obvious that you're not going to wash your hands as often if you don't have running water, or wash your one mask as often if you don't have running water and it's obvious that it's more difficult to social distance if you are sharing a room with many others as your only home. You don't need to look at the blood donor study to understand that. It's also a fact that the poorest province in SA has the highest death rate. According to the blood donor study, that same province also has the highest immunity. It's lazy to to not see the connections there and to think it's all unrelated coincidence. It's also lazy to think the virus spread will be confined to poor people. If more poor people are getting it you can be sure more middle class people will be getting it too. As to whether or not indigent people donate blood or not, I've no idea and I'm willing to bet, neither do you. You assuming they do not, is lazy thinking, grabbing at the closest prejudicial thing to say.

 

[noxibox]

That runs a very real risk of using the vaccines before their expiry date though.

There is also the ever-present possibility that doing your job might get you fired for making the rest of the party look bad.

 

[quovadis]

So their initial rollout is now going to proceed as a "trial"?
Nothing like a bit of pressure being brought to bear to get the " rules" out of the way?

Must have been interesting in the behind the scenes meetings and debates, yesterday.

More likely and as has been done with Israel (Pfizer) the country agrees to a trial for a quid pro quo (most likely labour or product) with the pharmaceutical company so they can access the patient data. Not everything is a conspiracy.

 

[noxibox]

Is the family sharing a shack likely to be one of blood donors? This is an example of lazy thinking, grabbing at the closest politically correct thing to say.

Assuming it is a result of deliberate non-compliance is also lazy. If you want to discount the similar findings amongst poorer groups around the world, then just as plausible is that the interventions simply don't work that well.

 

[MiW]

SA says documentation on Russian Covid-19 vaccine sent to regulator

SA’s health ministry said on Tuesday the manufacturers of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine had submitted documentation to the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority for registration.

www.timeslive.co.za

What a joke, we know even less about this vaccine efficacy on the local mutation.

 

[Gordon_R]

SA says documentation on Russian Covid-19 vaccine sent to regulator

SA’s health ministry said on Tuesday the manufacturers of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine had submitted documentation to the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority for registration.

www.timeslive.co.za

What a joke, we know even less about this vaccine efficacy on the local mutation.

All of the vaccines are around 90% effective in reducing death and serious illness, regardless of the mutation. None have yet been definitively proven to prevent transmission. Some are more effective than others at preventing infection and mild illness, but that is not the highest priority.

IMO it would be better to go ahead with what is available, rather than wait for something that may or may not be perfect. In a crisis, beggars can't be choosers.

 

[Geoff.D]

SA says documentation on Russian Covid-19 vaccine sent to regulator

SA’s health ministry said on Tuesday the manufacturers of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine had submitted documentation to the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority for registration.

www.timeslive.co.za

What a joke, we know even less about this vaccine efficacy on the local mutation.

But, if we are to believe the news media, Emergency approval has been given to roll out J&J, so why not for this one as well?

 

[pinball wizard]

But, if we are to believe the news media, Emergency approval has been given to roll out J&J, so why not for this one as well?

Because conventional wisdom (lies of main stream media) is to be followed here, Russia is bad.

 

[MiW]

All of the vaccines are around 90% effective in reducing death and serious illness, regardless of the mutation. None have yet been definitively proven to prevent transmission. Some are more effective than others at preventing infection and mild illness, but that is not the highest priority.

IMO it would be better to go ahead with what is available, rather than wait for something that may or may not be perfect. In a crisis, beggars can't be choosers.

The Russian vaccine is dodgy .
Its been only tested on younger white males (healthy military?).
They have huge supply of the first shot , but the second is harder to make and more difficult to store.
The above leading them to try selling 'Sputnik lite' , which was mentioned that it protects for 3 months only..

My info is old, pre AZ collaboration, feel free to debunk it.

 

[pinball wizard]

The Russian vaccine is dodgy .


My info is old, pre AZ collaboration, feel free to debunk it.

No more so than it seems any of the others are now that they're being used on the general population.

 

[MiW]

SA's AstraZeneca vaccines will be offered to other African countries as first J&J shots expected | News24

South Africa "actually secured enough doses to vaccinate all the people who will need to be vaccinated", Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told a joint sitting of Parliament on Tuesday.

www.news24.com

 

[flytek]

What are these vaccines for again? The prancing unicorn third wave that they may be useless against or to comfort the panic stricken?
Covid in SA is at most weeks away from being basically over until a new mutation may or may not be able to produce a third wave. There will be no mass vaccine rollout during this wave. It's too late and we are too slow.
Is this not effectively herd immunity against the existing strains? If not then why is almost no-one dying anymore?

 

[FNfal]

What are these vaccines for again? The prancing unicorn third wave that they may be useless against or to comfort the panic stricken?
Covid in SA is at most weeks away from being basically over until a new mutation may or may not be able to produce a third wave. There will be no mass vaccine rollout during this wave. It's too late and we are too slow.
Is this not effectively herd immunity against the existing strains? If not then why is almost no-one dying anymore?

View attachment 1021716

These are my thoughts as swell but not sure so i am waiting to see what transpires .

 

[Grant]

*If* true, SA will reach herd immunity long before vaccines are rolled out, or at least a form of herd immunity.

Edit: See it's only 63 percent in the EC, but still very high in other provinces. On the other hand, they excluded two of the most infected provinces, Gauteng and WC.

The crux of the matter:

The authors acknowledge that blood donors are not representative of the population but write: “It seems plausible that these estimates are reasonably generalisable to actual population level anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, but should be further verified.”

It would interesting to look at demographics of those tested
It would no doubt be deemed politically uncomfortable to reveal a breakdown on race groups.

Some are donating most of the blood, tissue and organs, while others are doing the most consuming.

 

[Grant]

What are these vaccines for again? The prancing unicorn third wave that they may be useless against or to comfort the panic stricken?
Covid in SA is at most weeks away from being basically over until a new mutation may or may not be able to produce a third wave. There will be no mass vaccine rollout during this wave. It's too late and we are too slow.
Is this not effectively herd immunity against the existing strains? If not then why is almost no-one dying anymore?

View attachment 1021716

So much stupid in one post.


Given your extensive knowledge, you should probably be nominated as director of the SA Medical Research Council.

 

[Grant]

So their initial rollout is now going to proceed as a "trial"?
Nothing like a bit of pressure being brought to bear to get the " rules" out of the way?

Must have been interesting in the behind the scenes meetings and debates, yesterday.

Yea, I found that rather curious.
I suspect since the vaccine has not been formally approved, some out of the box thinking figured to vaccinate those wanting to be vaccinated was to enroll them as "trial" participants.

Current J&J trial participants are being unblinded - those who received the placebo are offered the vaccine and the trial continues for the next yr or so.

It would make sense to introduce a specific group into the trial

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1361788749684826114

 

[Paulsie]

So much stupid in one post.


Given your extensive knowledge, you should probably be nominated as director of the SA Medical Research Council.

Why? What he's saying is that there seems to be an already high immunity threshold in the community (more or less confirmed by recent blood donor tests). If or when a third wave comes (mainly because of another mutated strain), the vaccine will not be rolled out widely enough or fast enough to prevent it.