Gamma variant could have 'high attack rate even in fully vaccinated people' - new study (UK: Express

[DemocraticPatriot]

Last edited Mon Jul 26, 2021, 03:22 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1467002/Gamma-variant-covid-vaccine-efficiency-Dominic-cummings-Boris-johnson-contingency-plan

(news from the UK)

::snip:::

"It also comes as the Gamma variant was recorded in Russia, raising fears that it could soon spread to the rest of the world.

In its paper, the CDC (UK)
released a study of miners who caught the variant while working in a gold mine in French Guiana.

Of the 44 people working at the mine 42 miles from Cayenne, 55 percent of the employees were infected.

Among the infected, the attack rate was 60 percent among fully vaccinated miners and 75 percent among unvaccinated miners without a history of infection, it said."
::snip::

=======================

Well, this is extremely disturbing-- what we all feared-- a new COVID variant that seems to very aggressively infect vaccinated people...

Just what we don't need here.. as if 'Delta' was not bad enough...

I presume people flying into our country have to pass a covid test before we let them in?

With the possible "lag time", is that enough??

This new variant appears to have the ability to make all our vaccination efforts "for naught".



Our own CDC never should have given the green-light to "no masking for vaccinated people"...

This is the first time I've heard of the "Gamma variant". The story appeared on a news app that I use on my phone...
anybody have more information on it ?



EDIT: Some in the thread have suggested the source is a "British tabloid" and that the story may have been "sensationalized". I don't know. By posting this, I was not intending to "fear-monger"-- what I read only seemed to be important and new, and about a "variant" which I had as yet never heard of...

God knows I hope this report proves to be totally inaccurate and fucked up.... but I'm not a scientist or a doctor or anything except scared of covid. Let the buyer beware.

[Shellback Squid]

1. no, the delta varient attacks everyone, just a higher percentage of unvaccinated

and the vaccinated have milder symptoms with a much lower hospitalization and death rate

this article means, "get vaccinated"

[DemocraticPatriot]

3. it also means, "wear masks" and continue all pre-vax precautions.

The way I read it, the "attack rate" refers to infection...

If 60% of the fully-vaccinated in that mine were none-the-less infected by this new covid variant, that is very terrible news....

Yes, of course, GET VACCINATED--- it may well prevent your death by any covid variant--- but we have been rightfully concerned that a new variant would come that could circumvent the vaccinations to a larger degree, and this report seems to indicate that 'Gamma' may be the one.

From the reports I've read, "Delta" is infecting fully vaccinated people at a rate of 10 to 20 percent.

SIXTY percent ????! That's a lot worse than 'Delta'.

[Ms. Toad]

6. The death rate is about the same -

roughly 2% of cases in both vaccinated and unvaccinated.

What makes the difference is that ther are far fewer cases in the vaccinated.

[Skittles]

2. how many times does it need to be said: KEEP MASKING, EVERYONE

IT AIN'T OVER

[DemocraticPatriot]

4. Goddamn right!

I went out shopping today... wearing my mask in stores as usual. I only saw 2 other masked people, one of them was a checkout clerk at the "Dollar Tree"..

I went several places in search of mosquito repellent, which I was unable to find, I guess there is a run on it in Michigan, we have a LOT this year... Just another problem, I can hardly go into my own backyard without it. lol

[Skittles]

10. these stupid, unmasked people are even more reason to stay masked

everyone should mask up and stop acting like it is such a HUGE sacrifice

[2naSalit]

5. No shit!

I'm trying to avoid everyone. Like I said a year ago, I expect to still be taking all precautions (masking) well into this year and here we are.

Looking back to pandemics of note in history, I have noticed that this same thing happened then, anti-maskholes and anti public health making the pandemic last for five years with devastating waves as variants emerge. It's deja vu all over again.

[DemocraticPatriot]

7. Other countries (mostly with low vaccine rates) are requiring

7-14 days of quarantine for people entering their country...

I don't know what we are doing... If we aren't doing that, maybe now is the time for it. We sure don't need another variant wandering around that circumvents our vaccinated people to such a large degree, if this report is accurate. Up until now, I wouldn't have been so hard-core about it... but if this report is accurate, it goes WAY beyond the 'Delta variant'...


Anyone have any current information about requirements for travelers entering the US ??

[róisín_dubh]

8. Entry is mostly restricted...

Testing is required pre-departure and recommended 3-5 days after arrival. There is no quarantine requirement for vaccinated folks (of which I am one). I may also have the “lucky” scenario of being both vaccinated and recently recovered (waiting on test results 🙄 .

[DFW]

11. As of July 2

Travelers from Germany, where I live, needed a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old. In addition, German citizens not in possession of a green card or other long-term residence permit for the USA needed documented proof that they were traveling accompanied by a spouse, parent or child who was an American citizen. My wife can only travel with me if I have a copy of our marriage certificate. The long-term companion of my younger daughter in Germany was allowed to come because they presented their daughters’ US Consulate-issued birth certificates listing him as the father. US Government accredited diplomats and permanently stationed press correspondents may also travel freely. As a US citizen with an unrestricted legal residence in Germany, by the way, I can travel back and forth freely, but I am part of a tiny minority.

[calimary]

20. Yep. I'm still masking, too.

Whenever we go out.

I wear mine all day, hanging from a lanyard around my neck. Almost like a necklace, and I don’t even have to think about it because it’s always on me. Convenient and easy as pie!

[wnylib]

25. It's a common pattern for pandemics to last

for a few years. We are only a year and a half into this one.

The 1918 flu epidemic lasted into 1920.

In 1957, the Asian flu epidemic waned and then resurged in 1958, when I caught it at age 8. My fever was over 105, which alarmed my mother so much that she dropped the glass thermometer and it broke. The schools did not close, but there were so many kids and teachers out sick that the remaining teachers and subs didn't even try to have lessons. They just babysat the kids who showed up and let them do puzzles, color, etc.

[uponit7771]

24. Until the data shows vaxed isn't working to prevent bedding and death?!?! Not going to wear two seat

... belts cause some other idiot doesn't want to take precautions while driving either.

[tanyev]

28. Yep. I walked out of a dance class at a rec center last week.

I'd signed up for it in June, when numbers were still looking good and not many people had registered. As I drove to the first session I was debating with myself how many unmasked it would take for me to be uncomfortable enough to leave. I was planning to wear an N95. Had, in fact, done a few online sessions at home with a mask on to make sure it wouldn't be a problem. My dilemma was easily solved when I stepped in and saw over 20 people in the room and the only mask was the one on my face. I stayed long enough to hear the teacher's introductory spiel and get my name on the class email list and then I got the heck out of there.

[Skittles]

42. yup

it is disturbing to see how many people think the entire goal all along was to stop masking, as opposed to stopping a pandemic, and absolutely disgusting that the CDC could not see the logical outcome of their premature decision

[Tadpole Raisin]

9. This is like a bad hurricane season

Guess I’m really in a bad mood after reading this because I want to scream F…….. these ignorant people and the horse they rode in on. I’m usually a lot more tolerant.

Well if this Earth we live on is deciding we are not fit for her I’d like to offer up a trade …..

[madville]

12. Link to the study, there's some bits of good news in there

There were no cases severe enough for hospitalization among the entire group, even though many had high risk factors. Good news that it sounds like a relatively mild variant for the vaccinated.

It was the Pfizer vaccine. Israel just released similar numbers about Delta, Pfizer vaccine being about 40% effective at preventing infection.

6 people out of the 44 miners there had prior COVID infections, none obtained the Gamma variant, that’s interesting.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/10/21-1427_article

[DemocraticPatriot]

15. Thank you for that link, madville

Still, the point that vaccinated people may be able to be infected by this variant, and thus pass it on, at much larger percentages, is bad news.

the good news is they will likely survive it themselves, and have lower rates of hospitalization.


GET VACCINATED, and KEEP MASKING !!!

[orleans]

13. apparently gamma is popular in illinois

"Illinois has seen six times more gamma variant cases than delta so far: report

Illinois has seen six times as many gamma variant cases of the coronavirus as delta variant ones, according to an analysis done by Chicago's local CBS News affiliate, though the state health department indicates that will likely soon change.

There have been more than 10,000 variant COVID-19 cases recorded so far by the Illinois Department of Public Health as of Monday, according to the outlet, with the gamma variant making up more than 2,600 of them compared to only 403 for the delta, which has been been wreaking havoc across the nation.

"The Gamma variant became established in Illinois this Spring, before the Delta variant was identified in Illinois. Many cases of Gamma variant were associated with travelers returning home from other states tournaments, camping, etc. We saw mainly community-specific transmission," a spokesperson for the health department told The Hill on Friday.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/564173-illinois-reporting-six-times-as-many-gamma-variant-cases-than-delta-report

[crimycarny]

14. An interesting chapter in "I Alone Can Fix it" on the lab-leak theory

I was just listening today to the audio version of "I Alone Can Fix It" by Carol Leonnig and Paul Rucker and there was a chapter about the growing suspicion early on from several virologists, including Dr. Fauci, that the virus may have leaked from the Wuhan Lab by accident (not on purpose, not as a bioweapon). This suspicion started growing right around the time Trump had his infamous briefing where he suggested injecting bleach.

The reasons for these suspicions were:

1) Zoonotic viruses usually aren't as easily transmissible in humans so soon from the time they first appear. And it usually jumps two species before that happens. SARS-V1 was more deadly but not nearly as contagious. SARS-V1 was positively linked back to an animal.

2) The virologists were suspicious due to the amazing adaptability of COVID-19. They have not seen this in a naturally occurring zoonotic virus, at least not one that had recently jumped species.

3) US Intelligence found that 3 Wuhan Lab workers were hospitalized with COVID-like symptoms in the Fall of 2019.

4) All animals from the Wuhan wet market were ruled out as the source of COVID-19

US State Dept. had warned in 2018 about lax safety precautions at the Wuhan lab and lack of training. Begged the US to provide extra assistant to the lab. Their warnings were ignored.

[DemocraticPatriot]

16. I have no personal position on the "Wuhan lab leak" theories.

Could be true, maybe not. I have to place my trust in everyone else who has more scientific and medical knowledge than I do, to settle that question.

In the meantime, it matters little about the origins of the virus, compared to what we must do to fight against it...

Of course, I deliberately reject the theories that China deliberately released it as a "biological weapon". If that were true, OF COURSE they would not 'release' it inside their own country, where it seems to have originated....

[crimycarny]

21. I don't think it was deliberate either

If it weren't so terrifying I find the science fascinating. It just makes a lot of sense to me that a lab using cutting-edge research on thousands of coronaviruses, and right at the epicenter of the outbreak, could have had an accident. US labs have had leaks before too. Heck, SARS-V1 escaped twice in one year from labs after they had contained it.

My interest is more around what science can learn from this. China's labs are the cutting edge when it comes to research on coronaviruses. If they would work with scientists from around the world I think we could learn a lot about how to prevent this and how to fight it.

[Dopers_Greed]

17. Warnings were ignored...

Probably because the US wants to kowtow to China so western corporations have access to their market.

[Celerity]

18. You've heard of the Gamma variant for ages, but by its more common name (P.1 aka Brazilian variant)

There are currently 8 Greek letter named variants still listed (11 total Greek letters used, but 3 variants, Epsilon, Zeta, and Theta, have fallen off the lowest category listed, VOI).

Variants get the Greek letter name once they become a VOI (variant of interest)

There are currently 4 VOI¨s and then 4 VOC's (variants of concern, the next step up)

There is one final, highest rating. (VOHC) Variant of High Consequence. None have reached this level so far.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-info.html






here is a chart for the current VOI and VOC's

Lambda is the newest, from Peru, the one I have been most worried about after Delta

https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/







Peru is getting crushed by Lambda, by far the highest death rate in the world atm.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[DemocraticPatriot]

19. OK, I maybe heard of the 'Brazilian variant'....

... but without specifics such as in this report.

I am pretty confused by reports that talk about these variants by their specific "covid number", numerically, but without their Greek nickname...


It is all very depressng

[Celerity]

22. I have always used the Pango names, not the Greek letters, BUT Delta has changed it for me

Last edited Mon Jul 26, 2021, 01:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Now I use both if not talking about Delta until people start to catch on (and hopefully me using both aids in that).

The Pango lineage nomenclature is being used by researchers and public health agencies worldwide to track the transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Example is (like we are talking about) P.1 aka Brasilian aka Gamma


The 4 nastiest variants so far are (Greek alphabetical order):

Beta (B.1.351 aka the South African variant)

Gamma (P.1 aka the Brazilian variant)

Delta (B.1.617.2 aka the Indian variant)

Lambda (C.37 aka the Peruvian variant)


here is the Greek alphabet

you will notice that we have used 11 Greek letters, but only 8 are in the VOI/VOC charts

that is because the Epsilon, Zeta, and Theta variants have fallen off the lowest level (VOI aka Variant of Interest)

[DemocraticPatriot]

45. Thank you, very much.. nt

[femmedem]

23. Thanks for taking the time to put this information together for us.

You bring so much value to DU.

[Celerity]

26. aww thanks! I enjoy your posts too Femmedem

[hlthe2b]

27. **THERE WERE NO SERIOUS ILLNESSES and ZERO HOSPITALIZATIONS among the miners!**

ZERO

Folks, you all really need to get a grip before posting these sensationalized media accounts and seek out some actual scientific review wherever possible for perspective.

Here is the PUBLISHED review of these cases

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/10/21-1427_article

Mine workers were mostly men (42/44); median age was 53.3 years. Eighteen of the workers had risk factors for severe COVID-19: high blood pressure (11/44), diabetes mellitus (4/44), or obesity (4/44). Miners lived onsite in separate rooms but shared face-to-face meals and machine cabins. They also worked outside without masks. Twenty-one workers reported contacts outside the mining site during the previous 2 weeks.

The overall attack rate was 54.5% (24/44); 87% were symptomatic, 65% with fever, and 22.6% with dyspnea. No clinically severe COVID-19 (1) was observed, and no patient was hospitalized. Among infected miners, 18/23 (78.2%) had a cycle threshold (Ct)

[BannonsLiver]

31. It's a mental health issue at this point

For example, there are people who download every word of Eric Ding’s Twitter account into their brains. Ding has zero experience with infectious diseases, and is a certified nut job widely criticized by peers, yet his word is taken as gospel. We’ve seen what years of exposure to Fox News can do to people, this is very much the same dynamic just with the virus rather than politics and culture.

[DemocraticPatriot]

46. Yes, it is certainly " a mental health issue" for me,

but I got vaccinated as soon as I was allowed..

[róisín_dubh]

36. Thank you

My best friend has Covid. He got his first shot the other day and unfortunately had contracted Covid sometime before that, testing positive a few days later. He has worked himself into a panic at all the worse case scenarios. He has a mild case: hasn't had a fever in nearly 72 hours, just a mild cough and fatigue (oh and loss of taste). But he's so, so panicked. Me? I'm vaccinated and had an ambiguous test this morning, so I took another (which was negative). I cannot panic myself over every little thing.

Mental health is taking a hit every single time sensationalist bullshit is posted.

[Andy823]

40. I agree completely

Seems like almost everyday something like this gets posted, and people want to set their hair on fire and run around spreading "doom and gloom!

I also notice that information like you posted gets ignored. I sometimes question why these threads even get posted, without all of the facts!

[DemocraticPatriot]

47. I posted all the "facts" I had, it seemed to be important..

... and a new variant to me, which I had never heard of... sounds pretty frightening from the one report I had.


Of course "one report" is "anecdotal" and I hope it all comes to nothing... but I thought it should be posted for discussion.

[YoshidaYui]

29. Oh shit...

Oh shit…That’s all we need right now… Are we ever going to survive this? And coming from a mine, how does that even happen?

[hlthe2b]

32. Please read my post #27 and others from informed posters on this thread, rather than freak out.

[YoshidaYui]

33. So? Do you think the op should remove this post?

If it is misinformation
Maybe it should be removed??

[hlthe2b]

34. What do you think?

You seemed to have been among those most impacted by the subject line with no context so, do you think we should encourage such sensational reporting from the British tabloids without any clarification? Some (many?) will not read the thread and will only take the OP to heart... That is a problem

[YoshidaYui]

35. So why aren't you flagging this??

If this is misinformation than you should fllag it, it’s your responsibility too!

[hlthe2b]

37. You are making an argument I am NOT making myself. Posting something so that others can correct

it, as I believe the OP did is not the issue. The issue comes when others read only the subject line or the very short excerpted part of the post. And, unfortunately many many DUers do that, totally ignoring all of the important rebuttal information provided in the thread. Then they may go on and disseminate this inaccurate information elsewhere, however innocently, much as Facebook does.

It would be good, upon seeing this, if the OP posting something that they feel uncertain about might editt the OP to suggest some added context or information from those posting on the thread.

But, mostly, DUers need to read the threads on sensational stories because there are great posters (many who, though anonymous actually DO have expertise) that will provide the missing information that causes the post to be problematic.

[YoshidaYui]

38. If you have the factsthen you should be responsible

and flag the message, and not harrass other posters, I did not post this article and I’m not the target. I am putting you on ignore so have a good day sir.

[hlthe2b]

39. Once again, I have not ever stated it violates the rules. It does not.

This is a discussion thread and yes, those who fail to read the discussion on controversial and consequential issues are missing a lot that can become a problem if such misrepresentations are disseminated. That is not harassment. It is fact.

[DemocraticPatriot]

48. Is it "inaccurate" ? I don't know. Is the source "a tabloid"?

I am not familiar enough with British media sources to know. I certainly did not intend to post anything that might be inaccurate. All I knew was that it sounded pretty bad...


I hope my main point was, that all must vaccinate, and that masking is still important, even if you ARE fully vaccinated.

Whether this report is right or wrong, none of us can predict the future for certain.

[hlthe2b]

50. Read the subthread especially #27 which is the scientific publication on which the tabloid

produced a sensationalized story.

Pay attention to the fact first that:
**THERE WERE NO SERIOUS ILLNESSES and ZERO HOSPITALIZATIONS among the miners!**

ZERO

Yet, you are promoting the believe that the vaccines are no longer effective. NOT TRUE


READ YOUR OWN THREAD!

[DemocraticPatriot]

49. EDIT: (in the OP)

EDIT: Some in the thread have suggested the source is a "British tabloid" and that the story may have been "sensationalized". I don't know. By posting this, I was not intending to "fear-monger"-- what I read only seemed to be important and new, and about a "variant" which I had as yet never heard of...

God knows I hope this report proves to be totally inaccurate and fucked up.... but I'm not a scientist or a doctor or anything except scared of covid. Let the buyer beware.

[Scrivener7]

30. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

[Javaman]

41. Given the current time lag to get to the states...

It’ll be here by Sept if not before

All of this could have been prevented

But, you know, stupidity

[Elessar Zappa]

43. No hospitalizations or deaths.

I’m not losing sleep over this.

[WhiteTara]

44. It's taking hold in Illinois

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/07/20/covid-19-gamma-delta-variant-cases/?taid=60f7f02ac5720500017c4383&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Gamma Variant Cases Still Exceed Delta In Illinois, But Delta Surging As COVID-19 Cases Climb Again

CHICAGO (CBS) — As COVID-19 cases are rising again in Illinois, while the more contagious Delta variant might not yet be the most common strain of the virus, it’s spreading quickly, and officials believe it’s responsible for the latest uptick.

“We are sounding the alarm today because we are starting to see this uptick,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at City Hall Tuesday. “An increase that we believe is because of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.”

But the sound of music will still race through Grant Park next week, and so will an expected 100,000 Lollapalooza attendees. Lightfoot said she does not have second thoughts about green-lighting it despite an uptick in COVID cases.

As of Monday, Illinois had a total of 10,592 COVID-19 variant cases. That is twice as many as it had on May 11.

“I’m a little concerned about what the future could hold,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

It should spread nicely in the next couple of weeks.