Coronavirus

[Pianorak]

The rate at which the virus spreads from an infected person to others has risen significantly above a critical level for keeping the pandemic in check. Germany's R-rate now stands at 2.88. (Deutsche Welle service)

But apparently mainly due to a local spike in Guetersloh.

[gradus]

Just done a home test for an ImperialCollege/NHS random sample survey. It's a fairly unpleasant experience but quickly over and I'm intrigued to see if I have the infection.

[Serial_Apologist]

Probably not, my knowledge of raves is ... err ... a bit theoretical.

Stokes Croft is in the middle of a black district - or used to be when I was living in Bristol - yet I could only see one black person in among that lot.

[burning dog]

Stokes Croft is in the middle of a black district - or used to be when I was living in Bristol - yet I could only see one black person in among that lot.

I noticed that as well

[johnb]

Stokes Croft is in the middle of a black district - or used to be when I was living in Bristol - yet I could only see one black person in among that lot.

I would call Stokes Croft (a short stretch of the A38 out from the city centre) a multiracial area - not specifically black.

The "event" happened where Stokes Croft becomes Cheltenham Road and at the intersection of the St Paul's, Montpelier and Cotham areas of Bristol

St Paul's most people have heard of, it has a large black population with a strong community spirit and is home to the annual St Paul's Carnival.

Montpelier (where I live) is probably the most culturally, socially, ethnically diverse region of Bristol, often labelled "bohemian". When I moved into the area, some 40 years ago, there were three brothels in my road that I knew of. However the area has gone markedly downhill since then - the brothels have long since gone and there are now artists (Richard Long once lived immediately opposite me), manual labourers, musicians (inc. classical), care workers, potters, photographers, authors, university lecturers, students, unemployed and idle layabouts like me living there.

Cotham roads are lined with stone built, mostly large, Victorian houses - many are in multiple occupation and it is a cosmopolitan area. A somewhat louche version of neighbouring Redland.

[Jazzrook]

Interview with Rob Wallace author of 'Big Farms Make Big Flu':

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=dBQe_a9EV08

JR

[Dave2002]

When I moved into the area, some 40 years ago, there were three brothels in my road that I knew of. However the area has gone markedly downhill since then - the brothels have long since gone and there are now artists (Richard Long once lived immediately opposite me), manual labourers, musicians (inc. classical), care workers, potters, photographers, authors, university lecturers, students, unemployed and idle layabouts like me living there.

I never knowingly lived in a street with brothels, but once I lived in a road very close to another which had a definite reputation for swinging!

[Dave2002]

Another article suggesting it is possible to have Covid 19 for a long time - https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...avirus-chronic

[johnb]

I never knowingly lived in a street with brothels, but once I lived in a road very close to another which had a definite reputation for swinging!

I only found out a while after I moved in (I was a bit green at the time). There was nothing "active" on the street. From time to time it provided some interesting entertainment.

[Dave2002]

Have we discussed this article, or similar, before - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52...b-global-en-GB

This is interesting. It suggests that ways have been found of identifying strains of each virus - based on what - I don't know. Does that mean that even though we are told that it doesn't mutate rapidly, it still changes quite frequently?

[ardcarp]

I'm not sure. But as a virus operates by 'taking over' a proper cell (with proper DNA) in its host, it may be from the latter that these different individual carriers can be identified. However the Common Cold virus is, I think, a sort of coronavirus which changes so frequently it is impossible to make a vaccine for it. I have no special knowledge here and stand to be corrected.

[LHC]

Have we discussed this article, or similar, before - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52...b-global-en-GB

This is interesting. It suggests that ways have been found of identifying strains of each virus - based on what - I don't know. Does that mean that even though we are told that it doesn't mutate rapidly, it still changes quite frequently?

The different strains of the virus can be tracked by monitoring the genetic code of the virus. As this article explains, the majority of these small mutations, which happen frequently, have no effect on the virus, but do mean that we can track how the virus is being transmitted. So far, it seems that the rate of significant mutation (such as happens with colds and flu) seems to be quite slow. This is good news, as it makes it more likely that a vaccine could be effective for a longer period of time.

https://coronavirusexplained.ukri.org/en/article/cad0013/

[Bryn]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-blood-type-o-risk-uk-us-genomics-symptoms-23andme-a9568511.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3OP6RxbH6msG70iVAOroDTZaBpXvVSozlJ2_kmUrWsCjPVBtVZDLkuDIs#Echobox=1592326296

[LMcD]

Today we have the last daily briefing, which means that I no longer need to worry whether anybody has said anything important among all the other stuff!

[johnb]

Today is the last Downing Street briefing.

The datasets for the meetings are the only source that I have found for the Covid-19 hospital admission stats and the Covid-19 hospital bed stats.

I think it is a great pity that the hospital admission data will no longer be available as it provides one of the few reliable early warnings of any resurgence of the virus.