Search results for: transmission

As early as January 4, 2021, within weeks of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in the UK, their scientists expressed concerns that the new South African virus variant (501.V2) may render the new vaccines totally ineffective due to the spike protein mutations and "escape from immune protection". [2] The South African variant (B.1.351), later referred to as the Beta variant of concern (VOC), is thought to escape vaccine induced immunity.  The virus mutations in the spike protein region, the target site for all COVID-19 vaccines, is a concern and has already prompted talk about developing booster shots. [1, 3] "Developing" implies the manufactures are looking to "tweak" the spike protein mRNA code, which technically would require more clinical trials.  They didn't do this initially, boosters initially meant more jabs of the same Wuhan variant.

Despite closed borders and very high vaccination rates, the highly transmissible omicron variant has been reported in seven out of 31 provinces and all of China’s biggest cities after it was first detected December 9, 2021 China's first community outbreak of Omicron was detected in the city of Tianjin on Jan 8, 2022 in 2 patients, prompting ab immediate government lockdown of the local districts followed by large-scale screening.   41 positive cases were reported as of Jan 11, the source of the transmission is unknown, and the virus is still spreading. China, which is set to host the Winter Olympics in Beijing starting February 4th, has adopted a "zero-covid" policy, which if an infection is detected it triggers strict control measures such as city lockdowns, factory shutdowns and delivery standstills, including the shut down of ports.  These strict measure have an onflow effect to the global supply chain. [1, 2]

South Australian Police Commissioner Grantly Stevens, the State Emergency Coordinator, tests positive for COVID-19, the same day of record new case numbers of 2552. [1] Mr Stevens test positive and is allowed to quarantine at home.  Just a month ago Senator Alex Antic tested negative upon return to SA from Canberra and was forced to quarantine in a medi-hotel for 2 weeks. Besides the international border restrictions lifting 2 days ago, on the 4th of December 2021 the SA interstate borders opened with the knowledge of Omicron, the most transmissible virus variant to date. Prior to border opening you had to be vaccinated to enter the state. The recent spike in cases is logical, even with the 90% vaccination rate, because the vaccines don’t stop infection or transmission, they are said to only provide “protection against serious illness, hospitalisation and loss of life”, though that effectiveness may not last long. In two years South Australia has recorded a total of 8 COVID-19 deaths.