Coronavirus: General discussion (see opening post for rules)

[6Foot2]

Link: Danger in the deeps: COVID‑19 spread through wastewater could devastate some marine mammal species [Dalhousie University]

 

Certain species of whales, seals and other endangered marine mammals could fall victim to COVID-19 infection through wastewater and sewage that seeps into their marine habitats, researchers at Dalhousie say in a new study that has found some of the animals to be highly susceptible to the virus.

 

In a study published in Science of the Total Environment, the team describes how it used genomic mapping to determine which marine mammals would be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They looked at key amino acids that the virus binds to and found that there were striking similarities between those in humans and in several marine mammals, including dolphins, beluga whales, seals and sea otters.

 

Graham Dellaire (shown left), director of research in the Department of Pathology at Dalhousie, led the research that used a modeling approach to predict a marine mammal’s susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. The team found at least 15 marine mammal species were susceptible to infection from SARS-CoV-2 because of their ACE2 receptors — the critical protein required for the virus to enter and infect the cell.

 

Importantly, more than half of the species determined to be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 are already at risk globally...

 

...The authors suggest that susceptible animals could be monitored for infection through innovations such as drone sampling of whale blow hole mucus - called the SnotBot - and even propose vaccinating these animals.

 

They also recommend limiting interactions between people and animals in zoos to shield them potential exposure to the virus.

 

Finally, they say wastewater treatment systems should be assessed to ensure they can stem sewage transmission of the virus into natural water systems.

 

“Given the proximity of marine animals to high-risk environments where viral spill over is likely, we must act with foresight to protect marine mammal species predicted to be at-risk and mitigate the environmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the paper states.

[mw184]

Crikey.

 

We've not had one year need to go off yet!

 

Are we unique?

 

We have only had one staff member test positive, but they were at home isolating anyway and was in the last few days of isolation that they tested positive. Therefor no year groups needed closing as they had not been in the building. No kids have tested positive (yet). I think it's fair to say for us that it is a case of when, not if. The local area around the school is a hotspot in my town at the moment.

[Ditto]

EdenRed have tweeted that they have won award for the 'Best Covid Response Initiative' -

 

Anyone want to guess the response from the twitter community?!

[elsiegee40]

EdenRed have tweeted that they have won award for the 'Best Covid Response Initiative' -

 

Anyone want to guess the response from the twitter community?!

 

When I stop laughing sarcastically, I’ll take a look

[Seb1780]

EdenRed have tweeted that they have won award for the 'Best Covid Response Initiative' -

 

Anyone want to guess the response from the twitter community?!

 

They were up against Track & Trace

[kennysarmy]

We've not had any year groups going off yet, most of the cases we've had happened during holidays so well out of time for anyone in school to need to isolate. Although we have just been very lucky so far.

 

Should have kept my mouth shut

[Ditto]

Should have kept my mouth shut

Oh dear! Sounds like a classic case of the commentators curse!

[jmak]

My immediate reaction to the reports that the vaccine is over 90% effective being based on 92 cases was to laugh and say how can that be statistically significant. But then I thought about it a bit more.

 

1) If they got 90ish cases in 43,000 sample, that sample has a fairly high incidence of infection - over 200 per 100,000 population which was enough to send places into lockdown

 

2) There were no significant adverse effects, so no reason not to give it to everyone (caveat being that you'd need to closely monitor, in case it doesn't give as much protection as people expect)

 

3) How did they get this far so quickly? Firstly, funding - they've been making the "Oxford vaccine" in bulk since April, so that if and when it gets approval, they can start distributing it straight away. That's a huge financial risk, but it's been shared with governments.

Secondly, there's more of the infection around. Normally it takes much longer for enough people to become infected to show the difference between the vaccinated group and the placebo group. The same standard as normal has been used to judge its efficacy.

 

To summarise; obviously we need to wait until the regulators verify the results, but let's focus on convincing as many people as possible that it's safe and that they should get it.

Edited November 12, 2020 by jmak

[Ditto]

Secondary pupils have UK's highest rates of positive tests - see 14:04 in https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-54915982

As much as I support schooling in school, the consequence of this will be much wider transmission within households and we need to not forget the increased risk to staff. Many schools are in a far better position to provide online learning than at the outset, but it almost feels inevitable that will be some planned closures even without detected positive cases in schools - doing so would surely help bring the R rate more quickly.

[StevieM]

Secondary pupils have UK's highest rates of positive tests - see 14:04 in https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-54915982

As much as I support schooling in school, the consequence of this will be much wider transmission within households and we need to not forget the increased risk to staff. Many schools are in a far better position to provide online learning than at the outset, but it almost feels inevitable that will be some planned closures even without detected positive cases in schools - doing so would surely help bring the R rate more quickly.

 

Extended Christmas holiday, anyone?

[Rob_D]

Extended Christmas holiday, anyone?

 

Never going to happen. There's going to be a big push and some hefty pressure to lift restrictions and "open up" for Christmas even if it means more lockdowns in January (that's my opinion anyway).

[sonofsanta]

I've been trying to put across the argument that we'd be better off sending year groups home rather than trying to keep a quarter of them in, because hybrid learning needs the teachers to work 150% as hard to only deliver 75% of the T&L to each group (in school/remote learning), and if you just send everyone home it's less stress for the teacher and a lesson can be delivered in a style that suits everybody instead of this compromise... but I think it's falling on deaf ears so far.

 

List has just gone round for Monday. 201 out of our 1222 off, before we even know about any new cases from the weekend. I think we have 8 positive cases right now? It's almost like schools are overcrowded at the best of times and drawing a 2m circle around any active case is going to scoop up huge swathes of the student body each time...

[StevieM]

Never going to happen. There's going to be a big push and some hefty pressure to lift restrictions and "open up" for Christmas even if it means more lockdowns in January (that's my opinion anyway).

I agree that it's never going to happen but, if there were to be more lockdowns in January, extending the school Christmas holiday to coincide would be a good way of doing things (likewise, that's my opinion).

[mavhc]

Google's phone location data statistics show no real change in the number of people going to work.

 

We're just having a pretend lockdown.

 

https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/

 

Meanwhile highest day of deaths ever, over 10000, on the 11th. 7 day moving average went from 5000/day to 8000/day in a month, 60% increase. UK and USA now equal in deaths per capita

[Ditto]

Google's phone location data statistics show no real change in the number of people going to work.

 

We're just having a pretend lockdown.

 

https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/

 

Meanwhile highest day of deaths ever, over 10000, on the 11th. 7 day moving average went from 5000/day to 8000/day in a month, 60% increase. UK and USA now equal in deaths per capita

I interpret the data differently, but it is clear statistically and from observation when out (on exercise for me) there is a different level of compliance this time around. But, it is also a different set of rules so not directly comparable. The death figures are disturbing though.

[sigma]

I use this site for UK Covid stats. Government data updated daily in an explorable format.

 

https://www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/local Tabs for national and death data.

[Primus]

We’re currently experiencing a huge number of cases with staff and students. As some of you might be aware I teach as well as manage our infrastructure and I’ve now tested positive which can only have come from school as I’ve not been anywhere else at all.

[Simcfc73]

My wife's isolating at home, a delightful child tested positive on Monday and came into school on Tuesday (I'm sure there's a Craig David song in there somewhere). They've have loads of cases.

 

My school has had zero so far in a high rate area... a mix of luck and great school management.

[elsiegee40]

I was asked to do a test by the ZOE app with no covid symptoms. Sent it off yesterday, got it back negative today [emoji4]

[sigma]

We’re currently experiencing a huge number of cases with staff and students. As some of you might be aware I teach as well as manage our infrastructure and I’ve now tested positive which can only have come from school as I’ve not been anywhere else at all.

 

My goodness. I hope its mild. Take care.

[Ironside]

some genius parent decided it'd be a good idea to send their kid into school this week despite the fact their sister was waiting on covid test results

 

kid got marched out of school but they were in there for about 30 mins before it was actioned

[Primus]

My goodness. I hope its mild. Take care.

 

Thank you, so far it's been mild, I really hope it stays that way.

[stevejp]

some genius parent decided it'd be a good idea to send their kid into school this week despite the fact their sister was waiting on covid test results

 

kid got marched out of school but they were in there for about 30 mins before it was actioned

 

Yeah, we’ve had one similar. Two entire year groups and three staff out for two weeks because of the selfish and thoughtless actions of one idiot parent. Unbelievable.

[Andrew_C]

Mrs C's HoD's child has it...

[Andrew_C]

Mrs C's HoD's child has it...

Mrs_C has something...

 

Might be a reaction to the flu jab. Symptoms not C like, but a home test requested.